The Vicious Lover
by Darcylover
Summary: Rescued by the Knights after a violent past but she still stands strong. Forced into servitude by an evil Roman but can she finally find the love she deserves between all the violence and anger as a Knight. REWRITTEN AND NEW ENDING ADDED! R
1. Rescue from captivity

**A/N. Hello everyone, just to let you know that this story is set before the book or film so all of the Knights are still alive and there is still conflict between Woad and Roman. Rated M for later chapters, although there are references to attack, murder and more things in the first chapter. The woman's name is withheld, you may find it out later but she has her reasons for keeping it a secret. I hope you enjoy it and please review. All comments appreciated.**

**This whole story has been edited and parts re-written. There is a whole new ending, I hope you all like it.**

Rescue from Captivity – Chapter 1

She stopped struggling as heavy footsteps walked along the landing outside of her room. As they approached the entrance she listened carefully, would they be coming for the same reasons that the painted men did? She struggled immensely against the ropes tying her hands to the old oak bed before the door to her chamber swung open to reveal a young man stood there.

She observed him for a moment as he stood gaping at the scene before him. His dark, curly hair falling in front of his face and those dark mysterious eyes travelling over her ripped clothing. She immediately noticed his strong armour, the kind that she had only heard of and never had the reasons to see.

She lay as still as possible as the young man walked over to her. What were his intentions? She stared up at him and she feared for a moment of what he would do. She never feared anything but at that moment in time the presence of such a man in front of her made her heart race.

"I am Lancelot." He said as he sat on the bed next to her and attempted to undo the ropes around her wrists. He was surprised when she did not look up to him in admiration of his status as a Samaritan Knight. Instead, he noted that she laid perfectly still, blood dripping from her leg and stared up at him, in anger. It was anger he had never seen in a woman before, he could not describe it, nor could he understand her silence.

"I will not harm you." He said to her, "I would like to do the opposite." She, yet again said nothing. He wanted desperately to show her that he did not mean her harm, so he reached down and finally undone the ropes. He instantly realised that the ropes that were binding her wrists were so tight that bruises were already starting to form. He thought that undoing the ropes would allow her to sit up and look him in the eye before offering to lie with him for rescuing her. At least that was what he wished would happen. It was no wonder that Lancelot was disappointed when the girl jumped up and ran to the opposite side of the room. She cowered in the corner slightly as he stood from the bed and looked at her delicate figure.

She wondered what to do when she had finally escaped the clutches of the Knight and the ropes. Her initial thoughts were to run but she realised that there was another person present at the time that the woads attacked. She stood up slowly, panic beginning to set in. Had they used similar methods of torture on the other members of her family? Her attention quickly stolen from the Knight and her escape she left the room and rushed down the corridors where the room of her sister stood with the door open. Her heart was beating wildly as she found the bravery to walk into the room.

She felt tears sting her eyes as she looked to the figure on the bed which was her sister. Her feminine figure lay across the white satin sheet, stained red with blood from a dagger that had been placed into her back. Her beautiful blonde hair in disarray and her clothing ripped. On closer inspection she knew that it was not only her sister's virtue that had been stolen, her life had also been.

Another Knight stood in the centre of the room looking in horror at the young deceased girl that laid before him. The woman paid the Knight no attention as she rushed over to her sister's body to grieve. She could not help but to look at her sister's angelic face and blame herself for all of the evil doings that had taken place under the roof of her own home. She clung the lifeless body to her chest and while kissing her head softly, she cried.

Her tears seemed unwilling to stop as she held her sister in her arms. The one person that she had loved completely, gone because of her own selfishness. She knew then that she would never be able to forgive herself for what she had brought upon her family. She had caused her own sisters death and she was not even there to protect her.

"Lancelot," The voice said behind her. "We have found a man, he is alive but he is seriously injured."

"Tell Arthur." That name, she knew that name. She knew of the Samaritan Knights and the legendary Arthur but she never thought that they would be the one's to rescue her from captivity. She thought that Arthur would perhaps be able to help her, but in helping her she would have to tell him her deepest secret, something which inside she was ashamed of.

Dagonet realised that when he spoke to Lancelot the woman seemed to squirm slightly before she rested her sister's head down on the bed and kissed her softly. She whispered something quietly into her dead sister's ear before standing from her position on the bed and leaving the room. He stopped her quickly by holding her arm. His eyes piercing hers he could see the anger and hatred behind those blue orbs.

"Are you alright?" He asked her in genuine concern. She did not even answer his question, instead she looked deeper into his eyes before pulling her arm free and marching away.

She walked through the familiar levels of her home, ignoring the damage that the woads had caused before walking down the grand staircase and into the sitting room. She stopped in the middle of the room and looked at the man in front of the fire, he was staring directly at her, pain and hatred in his eyes and a knife in his stomach.

Arthur and the six Knights now stood behind the woman watching in interest and hoping that the woads attack would be explained. Was there any reason for such a vicious attack and why would they leave the woman alive?

"My daughter," The man from the chair said. "You are alive!" The woman rushed over to him immediately and fell to her knees in front of the chair. He raised his hand to his daughter and Arthur thought for a moment that he was going to stroke her face, but he was wrong. The man hit his daughter across the face with such force that she cried out. Arthur stepped forward quickly to protest but the woman held her hand out to him. He stopped and watched.

"You stupid girl!" Her father spat. "You had the one thing taken from you which I told you never to loose."

"Father, I am sorry, so sorry!" The woman pleaded.

"Do not speak to me with such pernicious lies! You led them to out home, you brought this on us!"

"Father please!"

"Get out!" Her father roared.

"Father!"

"Get out! You disgust me!" The woman retreated like a wounded dog away from her Father. Gawain caught her shoulders protectively but she pulled away, rushing from the room and out of the house.

Her light and ripped clothing made the winter seem much colder than usual and after a while of running she felt she could go no longer. She fell to her knees in the damp grass below and closed her eyes. She saw her sister's face, she was smiling, even laughing but as the angelic face disappeared she remembered nothing more.


	2. Watched by the Woads

Watched by the Woads – Chapter 2

Dagonet watched the girl start to regain consciousness as he was placing the stitches in a deep cut that was on her thigh. He noticed at first that the woman turned her head in pain as the needle pierced her skin, but now he noted her eyes flickered like she was trying to fight off the pain.

She opened her eyes quickly as she felt the pain in her leg, she looked up to the ceiling and then moved her eyes to the Knight she new as Dagonet.

"Where am I?" She whispered looking into his eyes as he sat looking at her leg, the needle in his hand.

"We are at a tavern a few miles away from your home. My fellow Knights and I found you in the field where you lost consciousness and Arthur insisted that you were brought along." Dagonet noticed that the woman looked down to the cut on her leg which was half stitched and saw for a moment a hint of anger in her eyes.

"I had hoped that I could have all of the stitches in before you woke, it would make it less painful for you." Dagonet said to her as she looked away from him. He was surprised when she said nothing in return to his remark. "How do you feel?" She looked back to him quickly at this question and Dagonet saw a smile on her face, a beautiful smile.

"As well as to be expected." She replied before turning away again. Dagonet was astonished by the woman, he was a Knight and yet she was treating him like he was below her. But he let his thoughts go telling himself that it was from her upset thoughts that she was being so ungrateful and rude.

Dagonet placed the rest of the stitches in the woman's leg, watching as she winced in pain every time the needle pierced her skin. He still thought her brave, she had underwent an attack from the woads and the dismissal from her father and yet she still appeared in front of him as strong as ever.

"How did you get this cut?" Dagonet asked as he bound her leg in bandages. She ignored him for a moment but Dagonet was patient.

"It was a warning from the woads." She said eventually.

"A warning, what for?" Dagonet noticed that she grinned slightly at this question.

"You will know soon enough when Merlin realises that I am alive." Dagonet was surprised by her response. He did not have time to ask anymore questions as the woman fell back into unconsciousness. He sat and watched her sleeping form and asked himself what she was hiding and why? Was she a woad, betrayed by her own kind, or was there a reason for such a vicious attack?

* * *

She woke silently but did not open her eyes, she listened to her surroundings. There was chatter from men and the sounds of horse's hoofs on the muddy ground. Her head was resting against someone's chest and she could feel their hand about her waist ensuring that she could not fall. She listened to the conversation with her eyes closed tightly. 

"She gave me flees!" One man said in disgust. There was an eruption of laughter, something she had rarely heard in her father's home.

"You'd better hope that they are flees!" There was another eruption of laughter and she quickly opened her eyes.

She immediately saw the young man who was riding along next to her, it was Lancelot. When his eyes suddenly came and met hers she jumped quickly but a reassuring hand rested on her shoulder. She looked to the man who was sitting behind her and saw that it was Dagonet.

"It is alright, they will not harm you." Dagonet said quietly. The rest of the Knights had stopped their conversation and looked at the woman sitting on Dagonet's horse.

"You are finally awake then." Lancelot said to her. "We thought that you would sleep till we arrived at the Wall." He laughed at himself and then grinned at her. A horse cantered up beside them and she immediately looked to the man astride it.

"Hello there Lady, I am Bors. I hope you are feeling better." She looked at the large man before nodding her head to him.

She looked up through the Knights and saw Arthur riding on his white stallion. He had not turned to look at the young woman but he did know that she was awake due to the Knights' sudden change in conversation.

"Let me introduce you to everyone." Dagonet said from behind her.

"This is Gawain." He said as he pointed to a man with light brown hair and a pale complexion. Gawain nodded his head at her. "Galahad." Galahad looked young, much younger than the other Knights and she found herself staring into his eyes for a moment longer than what would have been necessary. "You know Lancelot, and Bors. This is Tristan." She looked to a frightening man who had tattoos on his face and seemed a very vicious killer. She swallowed quickly as she looked away from this man.

There was silence for a while before Bors' loud voice echoed through the trees.

"What is your name Lady?" He asked with enthusiasm. She noticed that Arthur had turned in his saddle at this point to look at her. She looked at him for a moment before she spoke.

"My name is of little matter to me now, since the woads took it with everything else I possessed." The Knights looked at her in astonishment.

"The woads took your name?" Bors asked in confusion.

"Why should I keep a name that reminds me of them and what they did to me and my family?"

"I would think that that is a reason to keep your name." Lancelot said to her. "To remind you of them, the good parts of them."

"Now, Sir Knight that is what you do not understand. I do not have any happy memories of my life with him."

"Your father?" Dagonet interrupted.

"He brought misery to our whole family in ways that you can never understand!" She looked Lancelot in the eyes and she sensed his anger and well as he did hers.

"If you tell us then we may be able to comfort you, solitude will make them worse." Lancelot said to her.

"If I told you anything it would bring you nightmares Sir Knight, I would not wish to burden you with the many misfortunes of my family life."

"Do you have nothing more to say?" Lancelot asked her.

"No, I don't. So now perhaps we may remain silent to one another." Lancelot tried to retaliate but one look from Arthur made him push his horse forward away from her, anger burning his face.

They had ridden for a long time when they came to a road that passed alongside of a wood. She looked up immediately and saw that the trees which were to her left hand side looked strange. She watched them as they rode through the woods, not moving her eyes from them. She felt Dagonet grip his sword behind her and she thought of looking at him. Instead she looked directly at the trees and she was pleased that she did. As she watched with interest she saw a blue figure dash from one tree to the next.

"We are being watched." She said out loud. Lancelot looked at her quickly.

"What?" Was all he said.

"We are being watched by the woads." Lancelot could do nothing but stare at her. Arthur heard her and immediately looked to Tristan.

"Tristan can you see them?" Arthur asked. Tristan strained his eyes through the woodland in a hope of not seeing one and he was relieved when he didn't.

"No Arthur, they are not there." Tristan replied.

"They are well hidden." The woman said to Tristan. "Give me a bow and arrow and I will give you evidence that they are there." Arthur nodded his head to Dagonet who produced a bow and arrow and handed it to the girl.

"I wager that she misses." Lancelot said as she loaded the bow.

"Then you can buy everyone a drink when you loose." The woman said. She fired the arrow quickly and for a moment there was silence. Until a screaming noise could be heard from the woods and a woad fell from a tree.

"How did you know that?" Tristan asked her. She grinned sarcastically.

"That is of no consequence, you need to ready yourself for action, they are coming." Tristan looked at Arthur and then looked to the woods. It was a moment before he actually saw them, but they were there, she was right.

"How many?" Arthur asked.

"Not many," Tristan replied. "Thirty at the most."

"Knights," Arthur said, "Ready for combat. "Dagonet protect the lady." Dagonet nodded and drew his weapons along with the other Knights.

"Give me a weapon." The woman said to Dagonet.

"You are a woman, you cannot defend yourself." Dagonet said in protest.

"I can at least try!" Dagonet looked to Arthur and she saw him nod.

She was given a weapon, a sword. It was heavy and she realised when she took it that she would have to put all of her strength into raising the sword never mind killing with it.

As the Knights went into battle the woman sat in front of Dagonet watching the enemy fight the Knights, she suddenly felt overcome by anger and other emotions. The hatred of what the woads had done to her sister and inflicted on her was fresh in her memory and it brought anger to the surface. She looked around at the other Knights who were engrossed in combat before she jumped off the horse and walked toward the nearest Woad.

"Get back here!" She heard Dagonet shout, but he was engaged with a Woad so he could not stop her.

She looked at the woad and realised that it was a woman. The Woad grinned at her quickly, showing yellow teeth.

"Merlin will know of your survival." The Woad hissed. "The Vicious Lover will be no more when he takes his revenge." The woman swung the sword through her hand and watched as the Woad started directly at her. The woad jumped forward but the woman sung her sword around to come into contact with the Woad's chest. She stared as the Woad fell to the floor, blood gushing onto the land.

Arthur looked over as he killed one of the last surviving Woad's and saw the all of his Knights were still alive. He saw Dagonet on his horse battling with a Woad and realised that the girl was not present. He searched around and finally found her, stood over a Woad's body. He watched for a moment, wondering what she was doing until he was distracted by a surviving Woad who now crept up behind her.

"Tristan!" Arthur shouted, Tristan immediately looked to his commander who pointed to the Woad. He drew his bow quickly and placed an arrow in ready to fire. He aimed quickly but stopped as the woman turned around, sword in hand and cut the Woad across the throat. He lowered his bow quickly and stared at the woman as the other Knights were.

She looked into each of the Knights eyes before she walked over to Dagonet and gave him his sword back.

"Thank you Dagonet, for giving me the weapon." Dagonet could do nothing but nod in disbelief. She smiled at him before walking to the horse and pushing her self into the saddle.

They travelled in silence for a while, the woman thinking about what had happened and the Knights also sharing the same thoughts.

"I saw that Woad talking to you." Lancelot said to the woman. "Before you killed her, what did she say?" The woman looked up to him, the anger and excitement still in her eyes and was about to speak but found that she could not.

"Lancelot." Arthur said quickly, "There are lots of questions which need answering but that time will come later when we are at the Wall, for now no questions are to be asked." Lancelot stared at the woman for a moment before looking away.

The woman knew inside that when they did reach the wall she would have to reveal her secret to them, it was unavoidable. But what would they say, most of all Tristan. Would he be disgusted or relieved? She knew that she did not want to tell them her secret. That however, was looking unavoidable. With the circumstances that she had placed herself in she knew that an explanation would give the Knights more of an understanding. It was the least she could do.


	3. Explanations

Explanations - Chapter 3

As the party of Knights rode through the metal gates of the Wall the woman looked around. She stared at the young children and women who stood at the gates watching every Knight that passed, happiness present on their faces.

"What do they stand there for?" She asked Dagonet.

"They like to know that we have arrived safely." She nodded. "Most of the children are Bors' bastards."

"Bors has children?" She said in surprise.

"Twelve I think, all from one woman."

"Poor woman." Dagonet laughed and Bors grinned at her.

"My Vanora is a lovely woman, always obliging." Bors said as he grinned.

"Always obliging in bed Bors!" Lancelot shouted. "That is the only place she is obliging to me!" The rest of the Knights laughed as Bors looked at Lancelot.

When the horses stopped all of the Knights dismounted and walked into a large building.

"Come with me." Dagonet said. "I will show you where you are staying."

Dagonet walked through the large building with her and stopped outside a door.

"This room will be yours, no one will harm you here. Lancelot is in the room to your left and I am in the one to your right." She nodded before walking into the room.

The room was quite small, at least from what she was used to. It held a bed, a wardrobe and a table and chairs. She walked over to the window and looked down to the busy streets which, were below her.

She had stood at the window for a while before there was a knock at the door. She shouted the person's entry and Lancelot walked in.

"Arthur wishes to see you. He needs some explanations." Lancelot said as he walked into the centre of the room.

"I can understand that he does."

"Do not worry," He said to her as he stood next to her. "The Knights will not judge you by what you tell us."

"What if I do not wish you to know?" She said.

"You have no choice." He said quietly. "The reasons why the Woads attacked your home needs to be known. We also need to know why Merlin wants you dead." She nodded.

When Lancelot walked into the room which held the round table he saw the woman stop and look at it. Had she never seen such a thing before? Her eyes then moved to the Knights that stood around the table and then to Arthur who had stood up to greet her.

"Please, sit down." Arthur said as he held his hand out to a chair. The woman walked over quickly and sat next to Arthur.

"We need some information from you as to why the woads attacked your home." Arthur said to her.

"The woads attacking my home had nothing to do with the hatred that they hold for Romans."

"Then what was it for?" Gawain asked. She was silent for a moment and did nothing but look at him.

"Many years ago, my mother, sister and I were travelling from a relations home in the North when we were attacked by Woads. I defended myself and my sister but my mother was killed. My mother would never have been killed if the woads had not come south of the Wall. We thought we were safe, a stupid mistake that I made."

"You should not blame yourself, the woads occasionally venture south." Arthur said.

"My Father blamed me and my sister for our mother's death and as a result he made our life torture in more ways that you could know. Afterwards his main resolve was getting us married so he did not have us as a burden. When my father wanted me to learn to cook and clean I was occupied by other things."

"Like what," Tristan said. "Killing?" She paused and looked at him quickly, her angry eyes meeting his.

"And for those things my father would cause me pain." She continued, ignoring Tristan's question.

"I realised that you have scars on your back," Dagonet said. "Is that one of your father's punishments?" She nodded quickly.

"Your father beat you for not following his orders?" Arthur asked.

"He did. But it was not always vicious, it could range from a bruise to a broken bone. I lived to escape my father's home and seek revenge for my mother's death. On the night of the attack I heard the steps coming toward my room and I thought it was my father, I promise you that I did. I was unprepared and unaware that the people who had entered my home had the intention of killing and attacking."

"You did not know that it was the woads?" Galahad asked.

"No, I was used to hearing the footsteps coming to my room, the signal of another punishment. I was surprised when it was the woads, I could not protect myself, I regret that I couldn't, if I did things may not have happened, my sister may not have died."

"Your father may not have died." Lancelot said.

"I hold no remorse for my father! I hope that the gates of heaven are locked closed for him." The Knights looked at her.

"What do you mean, things may not have happened?" Lancelot asked. She remained silent. "I saw how you were tied up, I know what they did to you. They did not just cut your leg did they?" She looked up at him, anger in her eyes.

"That has nothing to do with this!" She said, anger coming to the surface.

"It has everything to do with it!" Lancelot retaliated. "That is what your father meant when he said you had lost the one thing that he told you not to!" She placed her head down.

"I could not help it." She said in sorrow. "What was I supposed to do?"

"Fight them off you." Lancelot said, perhaps feeling a little empathetic toward her.

"I did! The first two at least." Bors opened his mouth in shock.

"How many?" Bors asked. She shrugged her shoulders.

"I lost count, I let my mind wander after the first two. Five I think."

"My God!" Bors said.

"I can understand your pain." Lancelot said.

"You do not understand anything! You cannot begin to understand what they inflicted on me."

"But why did they do this?" Arthur asked. "They must have had a reason to do this to you and your family." She sighed.

"I wish I could tell you, but in doing that I will be telling you something that I do not wish anyone to know. A secret that is mine to handle, and mine alone." Arthur looked at her in shock.

"Listen, lady. I need to know all of the details of this attack to ensure that it does not happen again. The information you are withholding may be of vital importance. I need to know for the salvation of Rome."

"And I am sorry Sir Knight but I am not saying a thing about it." Lancelot slammed his hand onto the table.

"God damn it woman, do this for your own sake!" Lancelot said in anger.

"Your anger does not frighten me." She said calmly. "And you cannot threaten me." Tristan stood up quickly.

"Her secret is not of vital importance to Rome." Tristan said as he walked around to her. The Knights and the woman looked to him. "Her secret is rather simple to understand after the story she has told us and the fight with the woad."

"You do not know anything." The woman spat at him.

"You see, her anger is one of the main things that proves what she is." Tristan said as he took her chin in his hand and pulled her eyes to his. "And of course the lust in her eyes. I have seen it before." She pulled her face away from his hand quickly.

"Get to your point Tristan!" Gawain said.

"She is not an average woman." Tristan said as he pointed at her. "Are you?" She did not know what to say.

"What is she then, for she does not look like a man." The Knights laughed but Arthur silenced them.

"You are what the woads call the Vicious Lover. The woman and the scout!" The Knights' mouths opened as Tristan said this, they all looked at the woman in disbelief waiting for an explanation but there was nothing said in the room, instead there was silence.


	4. The Vicious Lover

The Vicious Lover – Chapter 4

The Knights all stared at the woman and Tristan in utter astonishment.

"How can you say such things Tristan?" Bors said. "You know that they cannot be true, she is a woman." Tristan smiled slightly.

"Ask her." Tristan said as he looked down at the woman. Arthur immediately looked at the woman, curiosity in his eyes. "I kill woads myself and I have heard them speak in fear of the Vicious Lover."

"Is this true?" She remained silent looking down at the table. She quickly raised her eyes to Arthur.

"Your scout is very good Arthur, you should be proud of him."

"So it is true," Lancelot said. "You are a scout?"

"I am."

"I do not believe it!" Gawain said. "You're a woman!"

"But I still have the same skills with a sword Gawain." Lancelot laughed before he turned his eyes to her and spoke.

"Is that why the woads attacked and raped you?" She blushed and looked to her feet.

"I have always known how to fight, despite my father's hatred for it. I found that after my mother's death I could only escape from nightmares and my father by killing. I took enjoyment in it, killing those who had inflicted so much misery on me."

"So you kill woads?" Galahad asked in amusement.

"Of course. I would go hunting at night killing up to twelve at one time. After a time the woads named me the Vicious Lover."

"Why the Vicious Lover?" Lancelot asked.

"Because I was loved by people with the exception of my father but when I had a sword in my hand I was the most lethal person the woads had ever encountered. I frightened them to the extent that Merlin was becoming angry. I was killing off his whole community, I was a risk to him. A risk that he needed to be rid of."

"So that is why the woads attacked your home?" Gawain said. "But why did they not kill you?"

"I do not know. I can only figure that it was meant as a warning, showing what Merlin can do to not only me but also to the people that I love. Recently I have thought of giving up on scouting for the one reason that I place other people in danger but now all I wish for is revenge."

The Knights who sat around the table stared at her in disbelief.

"I did not wish to tell you," She started. "I was afraid of what you might say mostly Tristan. I thought he would be angry and disgusted at hearing that a woman kills for pleasure and a release."

"I feel nothing of the kind." Tristan said as he walked around the table and retook his seat. "I can understand why you were led to kill. The woads killed your family I would have done the same in your situation."

"Thank you. But Merlin will still wish me dead, I have killed too many of his men for him to let me live." Arthur looked her in the eye and saw the hatred of that man in her eyes.

"You can remain here, you will be safe. The woads do not come near the wall, they stand at the woods in the distance but that is as close as they dare come."

"Thank you Arthur." Arthur nodded to her.

"What weapons do you use?" Gawain asked.

"I do not think that is a necessary question Gawain." Arthur said.

"No." She interrupted. "It is alright. I mostly use double swords similar to Lancelot's but apart from that I use daggers and bows. Like Lancelot I am also ambidextrous."

"I think I shall have to see these blades in action." Lancelot said. "And see if they are equal to mine." She laughed at him.

"You get me some blades Sir Lancelot and I should hold you to that!" Lancelot winked at her before Bors spoke.

"I think I can smell a wager!" The Knights cheered. Lancelot held his cup of wine up to her.

"When you are fully healed then." He said to her.

"I do not need to be healed to fight a reckless man such as you Lancelot, I could fight you with my eyes closed." The Knights laughed.

"What is your name then?" Arthur asked. "You cannot expect us to call you the Vicious Lover." She smiled at him.

"No, I could not ask you to call me that." She said. "You may call me Amelia." The Knights smiled at one another.

"Such a beautiful name, for such a beautiful woman." Lancelot said. She nodded her head to him.

"Are you going to find those swords for me Lancelot so I can make you fall on your ass?" The Knights laughed at her.

"It would be my pleasure." He said as he stood. "I will meet you in the training ground in an hour." She smiled happily before relaxing back in her chair, this was going to be fun.

* * *

As Amelia stood in the training ground she watched as Lancelot walked over to her, a pair of blades in his hands. She grinned at him as he passed her the blades. She examined them quickly, spinning them through her hands. 

"Very nice." She said to Lancelot. He grinned at her.

The other Knights with the exception of Arthur were now stood at the side of the training ground with anticipation of watching the coming fight.

"If I win," She said. "You can buy me a drink." He laughed.

"Aright. And if I win, what do I get?"

"Anything you want." She grinned at him.

"You in my bed for the night." She laughed.

"No. I am sure that you can find another woman to entertain you tonight." A cheeky grin came across Lancelot's face.

"I will settle for a drink then." She nodded her head in agreement.

Lancelot drew his swords quickly and there was a cheer from the watching Knights.

"You should have put on some better clothes," Lancelot said. "So when I throw you to the ground you will not ruin that pretty dress of yours." She grinned at him as she spun her swords.

"Very unlikely."

Lancelot made the first move toward her and she easily blocked his attack, using the swords to throw him away from her. She immediately charged at him raising one sword above her head and one below. He blocked the top blade but the second went between his legs. She smiled at him before she tapped the blade on his thigh. He pushed her away quickly, a look of amusement on his face. She laughed aloud.

The fighting continued for a while until Lancelot hit one of Amelia's blades and it flew out of her hand. He laughed. She looked to the blade which was on the floor a few meters away. Lancelot was too busy laughing to see the fist coming toward his cheek. Amelia's fist collided with Lancelot's cheek and sent him flying onto the floor. Amelia quickly jumped on him knees by his sides and sword at his throat.

"You cheated!" Lancelot said. She shrugged her shoulders.

"Do you expect woads to be fair when they are trying to kill you? You have to be aware of anything, even a fist." There was a cheer from the Knights behind them. Amelia looked up at them but screamed when Lancelot pushed her over and pinned her to the ground, holding her wrists.

"I see that you were not prepared my Lady." Lancelot whispered in her ear. She laughed. She struggled against him but he held her steady not letting her move from his grasp.

"You still owe me a drink." She said.

"Ah, but you did not kill me and I think that at the moment I have the advantage."

"Did you want me to kill you?" She asked.

"No I did not even think that you would do as well as you did. You are a remarkable fighter. Your father should have been proud." She looked straight up into his eyes.

"You are hurting my leg." She said before laughing. Lancelot quickly jumped up and helped her to her feet. They stood looking at each other for a moment before Amelia pushed Lancelot.

"I still won!" She said.

"Oh no you didn't." He said as he tried to grab her but she ran away. He quickly caught her and threw her over his shoulder. He walked over to the other Knights, Amelia screaming abuse in his ear.

"What do you think that we should do with her?" He asked the other Knights as they laughed.

"To the tavern!" Bors yelled. They all agreed and walked through the crowded streets, Amelia still punching Lancelot's back.


	5. Hunting Woads

Hunting Woads – Chapter 5

On the same night the Knights and Amelia were sat in the tavern. The Knights had drank and extortionate amount of alcohol and appeared very drunk. Gawain was yet again retelling the story of the woman who gave him flees, Lancelot sat with a woman on his lap and the rest sat laughing and joking with each other. Amelia felt happy for once in her life, the Knights were pleasant to her she found them very good company. Amelia laughed as Lancelot told another joke about Bors' children being his. The Knights also exploded into laughter despite the grim look on Bors' face. This made Amelia laugh even harder.

A while later Amelia wandered the dark streets toward her room watching and listening for any sounds which were unusual. The Knights had offered to walk her back but she had refused them and took to the streets alone. As she rounded a corner she walked into a man, she mumbled an apology without looking up and turned to walk on but the voice stopped her.

"Are you alright Amelia?" She looked up to the dark eyes of Tristan.

"I am fine Tristan. Thank you." He sighed.

"I was going hunting. I was just in my way to ask if you wanted to join me." A smile lit up on Amelia's face.

"I will have to get some weapons." She said.

"I have already retrieved some for you, they are in the stables with my horse, come." Amelia smiled as they walked to the stables in silence. Tristan jumped into his saddle and pulled Amelia in front of him.

They had just exited the stables when a voice stopped them. They turned to look at Dagonet.

"Where are you two going?" He asked.

"We are going hunting Dagonet, we shall not be long." Dagonet nodded.

"Be safe." They nodded to him and exited the courtyard.

As they rode to the trees Amelia stared at them, this was what she lived for, killing woads, they had killed her mother, sister and father, why could she not take enjoyment in killing them?

As Amelia and Tristan walked through the woods the silence which surrounded the trees was no longer silence. With their scouting tricks they heard the woads long before they were seen and as they came into view Amelia remembered slaughtering them like the animals they were.

Tristan and Amelia had slaughtered more than double Tristan's usual number in the hour or two that they had been out of the fort.

When they returned, blood splattered and aching they both had a look in their eyes which was of passion and determination. Amelia retired straight to her room and lay upon the bed. It was the best hunt she had ever had, they had killed many but with Tristan by her side she felt safer than ever.

The night was warm and Amelia found herself turning constantly in bed, her eyes wide open. She sighed and got out of bed, took of her night clothing and got back under the sheets. No one would enter the room why could she not sleep as she wished? She quickly lay on her stomach, the sheets about her waist and closed her eyes until she finally felt sleep trying to over come her.

Her eyes had nearly closed when she heard the door to her room open. She sighed slightly thinking that it was one of the maids.

"Who is there?" She asked into the darkness.

"Lancelot." She sighed again but did not move to cover herself up. He moved closer to the bed.

"Was it true that you went hunting with Tristan tonight?" Lancelot asked. She turned her head to him and stared him in the eyes, he could not see her through the darkness of the room, but she could see him. Her scouting skills had taught her that.

"You know that it is true Lancelot. So why do you come here and ask such a question?"

"Because I wish to hear it from your mouth that you killed all of those people."

"I only kill people who try to kill me!"

"How many?" He asked. "How many did you kill tonight?" She closed her eyes as she thoughts.

"Many, Tristan said it was about double the amount he normally kills in a night." Lancelot sighed.

"It is no wonder that Merlin wants you dead if you kill so many of his people." She sighed.

"I know." There was silence for a moment.

"Do you always sleep naked?" He asked, she looked at him and found that he had come closer to the bed.

"Sometimes." He laughed.

"Or have you had someone to warm your bed for you?" She picked up the pillow next to her and threw it at him.

"It is more likely that you have Lancelot!" He dodged the pillow as she sat up and pulled the sheet over her chest. Gods she was beautiful, Lancelot was thinking to himself. She has such wonderful skin despite the marks on it and a remarkable figure.

"I sleep alone tonight but you are always welcome to come and keep my bed warm." He said to her. He laughed as he dodged another pillow.

"You would not wish me to keep your bed warm, I would cut your throat before opening my legs!" He laughed again before he turned toward the door.

"Goodnight Amelia." He said. "Sleep well." He closed the door behind him and she lay back on her bed. Lancelot was a good man he just sometimes spoke a little out of turn, she did not feel hatred toward him but she did not feel a friendship either. Her thoughts were disturbed for most of the night by images of her mother and sister and recollections of the conversation she had with Lancelot not long before.


	6. Arguments and a visitor in the woods

Arguments and a Visitor in the Woods – Chapter 6

Amelia woke the next morning to see the sun shining through the window, she smiled slightly thinking about the hunt her and Tristan had been on. She thought at first when she had to tell the Knights that she was the Vicious Lover that Tristan would show hatred toward her. But as she hunted in the woods with him she felt that he was actually relieved to have someone to be with. To Amelia Tristan always seemed so quiet and alone, he never seemed to be with his fellow Knights and very often sat apart from them when they were in the tavern.

She rose quickly from her bed and got dressed pulling on a simple dress that Arthur had sent. She smiled again, the last day was the happiest time she could remember, she had forgotten about the abuse her father had inflicted on her and the damage the woads had done.

She exited her room quickly and walked out to the wall where she stood and looked out to the woods to the north. She turned quickly as she heard someone behind her.

"Galahad." She said quickly. "Good morning."

"Good morning Amelia. I hope you are feeling well this morning." She nodded to him and smiled. "You seem happy today."

"It is the happiest I have been in a while Galahad. My father rained depression on me and as you know I only over came that depression by killing."

"Yes, Lancelot told me about your hunt with Tristan yesterday." She smiled slightly. "I suppose that the hunt lightened your mood too?"

"I suppose it did Galahad." He laughed at her.

"You are a brilliant fighter you know?" She looked out to the trees again. "You are the first person in a long time I have seen put Lancelot to the floor." She laughed and looked back to him.

"I am surprised at such a thing, he is such a clumsy fighter. I am also surprised that the woads have not sensed his weakness yet." Galahad laughed at her.

"What are you both laughing at?" Lancelot asked as he stormed up the steps toward them.

"Oh, nothing Lancelot." She said to him. "We were just remembering how I got you on your ass yesterday." Lancelot sighed and looked at Galahad.

"I still won." He said in retaliation. "You cheated."

"I did not!" Amelia said. "Yet the Knights did not see that before I got you to the ground I could have easily taken your manhood with my sword." Galahad laughed.

"Is that true! She got you long before you were on the floor." Galahad could not stop laughing.

"She is lying, how could a woman like her beat me with a sword." Amelia laughed at Lancelot's remark before looking back to the trees.

"Do you always stand and watch for woads?" Lancelot asked behind her.

"How do you know I am looking for woads?" She asked.

"I can see it in your face." He replied.

"I do not always stand and look for woads Lancelot that would be a waste of some time."

"Do you not feel safe here?" Galahad asked.

"Of course I do. I am just used to looking for myself, to ensure that there is nothing to harm me."

"There is nothing inside of the wall that will harm you." Lancelot said to her.

"Of course there is!" She said with slight anger in her voice. "There are men in these walls, they can bring harm to me can they not?" Lancelot stared at her.

"There punishment would be too great, no man would try it." Galahad said.

"But you are still frightened of men?" Lancelot asked.

"Would you not be if the same things had happened to you?" She asked in anger again.

"No! I would at least try to over come my fear." Lancelot's voice also raised his voice slightly showing the anger which was also present. Her face was of utter disgust.

"I will never trust men, they brought misery to me and my family. You cannot understand that."

"I am sorry for you." He said as he lowered his voice again, emotion seeming to overcome him slightly.

"You must have been through a lot Amelia. I also feel sadness for you. I would also not trust a man if I were in your position." Galahad said.

"I do not want your sympathy!" She said. "Nor do I need it. I feel none for myself, what happened to me was because of my own doing and in feeling sorry for myself I must first learn to forgive."

"Forgive yourself or the woads!" Lancelot said. Amelia raised her hand to hit him but he caught her wrist. "Do not raise your hand to me," He said to her. "If you do you will have more to fear than being on your back in the mud."

"Are you threatening me?"

"Take it as advice Amelia." He grinned sarcastically before letting go of her wrist. She looked at him in disgust for a moment before she turned and walked away.

Amelia spent most of her day in her room, lying upon her bed. She mainly thought of the kind conversation that she had with Galahad and then the argument she had with Lancelot. Was he always so argumentative toward women?

As nightfall came she rose from her bed and walked over to her window, in the distance she could see the outline of the trees and the distant shadows of woads. The anger started to boil inside of her as she watched the woads move from tree to tree. Why did they insist on tormenting her?

She turned quickly and left the room heading toward the stables. She quickly saddled a horse and without the Knights noticing rode out and toward the trees.

At the trees she pulled the horse to a stop and jumped from her saddle. The sun had gone down completely and there was no light present. For a moment as she stood beside the trees she felt a flicker on fear but it disappeared as she walked into the woods.

There was darkness around her, in the distance she could hear the quiet whispers of the woads from their hiding places. She smiled slightly at the thought of the approaching kill.

In a matter of a few moments she had discovered one hiding place and killed those woads who occupied it with her double swords. She looked down at the swords, blood upon them and smiled at the thought of it being woad blood upon the metal. A sudden movement behind Amelia made her turn quickly. She saw no one there but she knew that someone was watching her.

"Come out!" She said in anger. "I am not afraid of you." Amelia nearly dropped her swords as a tall man walked from the woods, covered in blue paint.

"The Vicious Lover." The man said. Amelia stared at him.

"That is not my name anymore." Amelia said as she pointed the blades at the man.

"What would you prefer to be called, Amelia?" Her mouth fell open without realising it.

"How do you know that? Who are you?"

"You know who I am." The man said in a quiet voice. "I am the leader of the Woads."

"Merlin!" She said in shock, now she was in trouble.


	7. You betrayed us!

You betrayed us – Chapter 7

Amelia stared at Merlin for a moment, unable to do anything. What should she do? Attack?

"What do you want?" She finally said as Merlin watched her.

"I want peace Amelia. Between you and I."

"I can never give you peace! You murdered my family!" He nodded his head.

"That I did, but it was all for a reason." She looked at him with anger in her eyes.

"What do you mean that it was for a reason?" She asked angrily.

"I knew that it would lead you here, to the wall." She stared at him in disbelief, her swords still pointing at him.

"What does the wall have to do with anything? Nothing!"

"But it does Amelia. The wall will hold your future, as will those blades." She shook her head.

"No the wall will not hold my future, I am leaving here. I do not wish to be anywhere that your woads can be. They torment me, making me to want to kill!"

"The woads will not be your enemy soon." Merlin said.

"What?"

"There will be a new enemy in Briton soon, Woad and Roman will have to unite to save lives."

"Romans will never unite with Woads! You know that!"

"Yes I do, but when it is for the future of Briton the sides must unite for one common cause." Merlin sighed. "Saxon's are starting to invade Briton Amelia. The woads have found small army's travelling the land. I fear that they will soon come to claim this land."

"The Saxons!"

"Yes, they will kill anything that gets in their way. That is why I need peace between the woads and the Vicious Lover, she is one person that will help us when the time comes."

"Do not call me that! I am no longer the Vicious Lover!"

"But you are, it is your destiny. The Vicious lover has been provided to help the woads and Romans in their war. The Vicious Lover will always exist." She felt tears fill her eyes, she did not want to form peace with the woads, instead she wanted to remain a killer of them but the information which Merlin was telling her was breaking her heart. The land she had been born to could not be taken by the Saxons, she would not allow it.

"The Saxons will never claim this land! I will never allow it!" Merlin nodded his head to her.

"Neither will I!" She nodded to him in gratitude.

"That does not mean that I can offer you forgiveness Merlin." She said quietly.

"I know I would not expect forgiveness from you. I would not offer you such a thing for killing my men." She nodded.

"I can understand."

"Does this mean that we hold a truce?" Merlin asked. "You kill no more of my men when hunting in my woods." She nodded her head.

"But what of the Knights?" She asked. "It is their orders to kill you on sight." He smiled at her.

"My men will not attack Arthur and his Knights, I will not allow it. Therefore, they have no reason to kill any woads." She nodded her gratitude.

"I give you my word." She said. "I will no longer kill a woad, the future of Briton is more important."

"You have my gratitude." She quickly placed her swords away and smiled up at Merlin.

Amelia turned quickly holding up her swords as a twig snapped behind her. She stared into the darkness of the woods with Merlin behind her. It was a moment before she saw a figure come from the darkness a sword drawn, walking toward them.

"Tristan." She whispered to herself. She watched as the man himself walked closer and stopped in front of them. He quickly grabbed her by the neck and pushed her against a tree.

Amelia felt her breath quicken as Tristan held her tightly.

"You betrayed us!" He said in disgust.


	8. Wrongfully Accused

Wrongfully Accused – Chapter 8

Arthur stood up as his door into his chamber burst open. He watched in amazement as Tristan stormed in pulling Amelia behind him. Arthur nearly dropped the scroll of parchment he was holding as Tristan pushed the woman to her knees in the centre of the floor.

"What is this?" Arthur asked as he walked over to them. Lancelot had now entered the room and Arthur realised that he shut the door to allow privacy.

"I found her in the woods." Tristan said in disgust. "With Merlin!" Arthur stared down at Amelia, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Disarm her." As Arthur said this he looked down at Amelia and saw her loving eyes gazing up at him. Was it possible for her to betray them?

Tristan tried to pull the woman up but she pushed him away.

"I will do it myself." She said as she stood up. She removed her two twin blades and placed them at Arthur's feet. She nodded to him.

"And the rest." Tristan whispered from behind her. She closed her eyes slightly before pulling up her dress and pulling out a dagger that was strapped to her leg. She threw it at Arthur's feet.

"I have been nothing but loyal to you Arthur, I would not betray you and the Knights, you saved my life." She said calmly as she looked up to the commander. He stared at her but said nothing.

"Lock her up!" He said to Tristan. Tristan grabbed her arm quickly but she got from his grasp the panic spreading through her.

"Please Arthur let me explain." She begged as she fell to her knees.

"I said lock her up!" Tristan grabbed Amelia quickly and held her tightly. She tried pulling away but found that his strong arms were too tightly entwined around her body.

"Arthur he caught me killing his men! He told me terrible things that are to happen!" She screamed this as Tristan pushed her from the room. "Arthur!"

"Wait!" Arthur shouted as he followed them out of the room. Tristan stopped and turned Amelia to face Arthur, tears in her eyes.

"What did he tell you?" Arthur asked.

"Why should I tell you now, you do not believe me!" Tristan pushed her against the wall so hard that she cried out. Lancelot stood beside Arthur, his pleading eyes secretly telling her to speak.

"The Saxons are to invade." She said quietly.

"What?" Lancelot said.

"Small army's have been travelling the country, Merlin fears that an invasion is close. He said that Roman and Saxon must unite for one common cause."

"I will never unite with Woads!" Arthur said in anger.

"You are thinking of yourself Arthur." She said with the same amount of anger. "You may have lost your Mother to the woads but so did I. Think of your Knights, they have lost their whole families because of Rome's greed!"

"How do you know that?" Lancelot asked.

"My mother told me. She said that by AD 183, the Roman Empire had extended from Arabia to Britain. But the Romans wanted more - more land and more people loyal and subservient to them. Of all of the people conquered by Rome, however, none were as important as the once-powerful, defeated Samartian cavalrymen. In exchange for their lives, and the lives of their families, these Samartian warriors were incorporated into the Roman military. Many of them believed that it would have been better if they had died instead, for the second part of the bargain they struck, indebted not only themselves, but also there sons, and there sons after to serve the Empire as Knights."

"Your mother taught you well." Arthur said, she nodded.

"The Saxons will attack Arthur, of you do not unite with the woads then there will be no defeating them."

"You struck a bargain with him?" Tristan asked.

"I am to kill no more of his men and in return he will harm no Romans. He also hoped that the Romans would not attack the woads. Every man is vital when the Saxons do arrive."

"I will agree to this, but he cannot expect forgiveness Amelia. I will not offer it." Arthur said.

"I told him the same Arthur. I cannot forgive him for what he did to my family." He nodded. "Do you believe me when I say that I meant no harm?" He nodded.

"I do Amelia, you must forgive my behaviour." She nodded her head to him. "Release her Tristan." The Knight stood back and Amelia thanked Arthur.

As she lay in her room later that night she sighed, she had nearly been sent to prison by Arthur, the forgiving Arthur. Amelia had finally realised after the days events that Arthur was a forgiving man when it did not involve the woads. She laughed at herself, she had got herself into a lot of danger with Merlin and Arthur, danger she knew inside that she would not get into again.


	9. Mission I

Mission I – Chapter 9

Amelia sat in the tavern the next evening with the Knights. The mood was highly increased due to the amount of ale that had been consumed. Gawain had drunk to the extremities that he had fallen of his stool a number of times causing the other Knights to fall into fits of contagious laughter. Amelia watched the Knights carefully over her own drink and felt content, she had not been with people who brought her such happiness. They brought her laughter and most of all a release from her memories of the past.

A game of knife throwing had just begun when Jols walked into the tavern and headed towards the Knights. He stopped beside them and each of the Knights attention was immediately transferred to this man, Amelia wondered why he was so important.

"Knights, Arthur has asked for your presence in the table room." Jols said. Amelia watched this man carefully, why did he have right to bring such a message from Arthur, was he Arthur's messenger?

Amelia was surprised when the Knights all placed their tankards on the table and started to leave the tavern one by one.

"Lady Amelia." Jols said. Amelia looked up to his eyes.

"Yes?"

"Arthur also requests your presence?" She nodded to him, throwing off the thoughts of kicking the smug bastard between the legs. She nodded quickly and allowed Jols escort her to the table room.

When Amelia entered the table room all of the Knights were present with the exception of Arthur. She quickly took a seat next to Dagonet and watched the door as the commander entered the room.

"My brothers," Arthur said as he walked to his chair. "Lady Amelia, thank you for joining me." Arthur sat quickly putting a scroll on the table in front of him.

"Do we have another mission Arthur?" Galahad asked. Arthur nodded gently.

"We are to travel south and escort a caravan back to the wall." Arthur said.

"Who travels in the carriage?" Bors asked.

"A woman of importance to Rome. She is called Lady Isabella Roche, a daughter to one of the senators in Rome." The Knights nodded.

"But why do we have to escort her?" Lancelot asked. "There is no threat from Woads."

"Yes but there is a threat from Saxons." Arthur said. There was silence for a moment before Arthur spoke again. "We leave at first light. Amelia you are to join us, your scouting skills combined with Tristan's will make the mission much easier. I am sure that Dagonet will find you some suitable clothing and Jols will find you a horse. Make sure you have plenty of weapons, Lancelot will help you." Amelia nodded to him.

A while later Arthur rose and left the table leaving the Knights and Amelia alone.

"I wonder what this Roman woman is like." Gawain said with a look of curiosity upon his face.

"She will be more of my standards Gawain." Lancelot said.

"Amelia." Dagonet said to the woman. She quickly turned to him. "Come, I will find you some clothing." Amelia nodded and left the room with the big Knight. They walked down the corridor in silence until Amelia turned to Dagonet a look of puzzlement on her face.

"Why is Arthur allowing me on this mission?" She asked him. "Does he really think that my skills are needed?"

"He does not think you dangerous if that is what you are surmising. I generally agree that your scouting skills may be of use to us." Amelia nodded to him but in a way she was still not convinced. "You do not have to accompany us Amelia, if you do not wish to." She shook her head slightly.

"I want to come, Dagonet. But only if my skills are going to be of use." The big man laughed slightly before he responded.

"I think they will Amelia. Just imagine you and Tristan may be able to go hunting, only for Saxons instead of Woads." They both laughed at the thought.

Amelia dressed silently the next morning in the breeches and tunic that Dagonet had provided her with. She did feel strange dressed in such things but knew that it would be the most comfortable way to travel, especially at such a long distance and speed.

They rode hard and fast for two days, sleeping and eating in the saddle until the Lady Isabella's caravan finally appeared in the distance. Luckily for the Knights they had come across no Saxons on the road to the caravan and all hoped from the bottom of their hearts that none would be met on the road back.

Secretly Amelia sensed that they were near, she knew that the Saxons were close but Tristan could not feel it. She felt that with them being at such a distance the Knights did not need to know, at least they did not need to know just yet. She smiled down at the carriage when she found that there were only six legionnaires protecting it.

"I am not surprised the Lady Isabella needs our assistance to get to the wall." Amelia said. "She has such little protection of her own." The Knights laughed at her remark as they kicked their heels into the horses' sides and galloped off toward the caravan.


	10. Amelia vs Lady Isabella

Amelia Vs Lady Isabella – Chapter 10

As the Knights and Amelia got closer to the caravan the Roman guards formed a circle around the, protecting the lady inside. The Caravan stopped quickly and the Knights stopped in front of them.

"Who are you?" One Roman asked.

"I am Arthur Castus!" Arthur said to them. "The leader of the Samartian Knights and from the Wall." The Roman guards immediately placed their swords back in their holders and nodded their heads to Arthur. At this notion the Knights kicked their horse's flanks and pushed them forward to the caravan.

"My Lady, Arthur is here!" One Roman called into the caravan. Amelia sat on her horse and watched as a richly dressed woman with blonde hair stepped down from the caravan. She was a beauty. Lancelot will be well entertained for the next few days trying to woo her. Amelia noticed that Arthur had got down from his horse and walked over to the lady.

"Arthur Castus! How good it is to see you, my father has told me many things of you, and your Knights!" The woman sat as she bowed to him slightly.

"Lady Isabella, it is so good to see you well." Arthur said happily.

"That is very surprising!" Amelia said to Bors who was sitting next to her. Arthur looked at her quickly hearing her comment and then placed his concentration back on the lady.

"I am very well Arthur, even more now that i have met you and your legendary Knights." Arthur bowed his head to her in gratitude.

Amelia noticed now that Lady Isabella was looking at each of the Knights and despite their worn clothes and their dirty appearances she was still impressed. Amelia watched the Lady intensely as she surveyed the Knights. What was her intentions in Britain and why was she so unguarded? Amelia was distracted by her thoughts staring past the caravan and into the distance.

"Do you see something, Amelia?" Tristan asked as he pushed his horse toward her and gazed at the same place. Amelia smiled at him slightly before laughing.

"No forgive me, I was thinking."

"A woman!" Lady Isabella cried.

"Ah," Arthur said. "She is one of our best, a good scout at that!" Lady Isabella pushed her nose up slightly before walking toward the group of Knights. Isabella stood and looked up at the young woman who called herself a Knight, she was no older than eighteen!

"Amelia is no Knight of course, she joined us voluntarily." Arthur commented to Lady Isabella.

"Women still should not kill! Do you have no sense of duty?" Isabella said in disgust.

"I am not the same type of woman as you...my lady." Amelia said this with perhaps a little too much disgust than she first intended. Isabella's face curled up in disgust. "This is my duty, I am fulfilling it."

"I do not approve of women with weapons, Arthur." Isabella said to Arthur without removing her eyes from Amelia. "You should at least have some manners girl!"

"What can you possibly mean my lady?" Amelia asked, a mischievous smile on her face.

"You sit on your horse like you are above me in station, and yet you are not."

"Forgive me ma'am, i would not wish to be at your station." Amelia smiled slightly at herself.

"You insubordinate girl! What gives you the right to kill people, as a woman?" Amelia grew angry.

"The right that people killed my whole family, do you not think that such a thing deserves justice!"

"I do not!"

"Of course you wouldn't you are a Roman!"

"Amelia!" Arthur said in anger. Amelia looked up to Arthur. "Hold your anger and your tongue."

"You impotent girl, i should have you flogged!" Amelia nodded.

"Of course you should my Lady," Amelia said. "It is fitting for your station!" A few Knights giggled quietly at Amelia as she insulted a high Lady of Rome.

"Lady Isabella." Arthur said as he walked over to the lady who was stood looking embarrassed in front of the Knights. "You must have my apologies for Amelia, she spoke out of turn. She will be punished on our return to the wall for her insubordination."

"I am pleased Arthur." The woman said as she walked back over to her caravan. "It is nothing more than she deserves!" At this the Lady Isabella disappeared into the caravan with a wisp of her blonde hair.

As soon as the woman was in the safety of her caravan Arthur mounted his horse and rode over to Amelia as she sat with Bors.

"Amelia! How dare you insult her? She is the daughter of one of the highest standing senators in Rome. I cannot help you now, any trouble you have made is your own doing." Arthur asked. Amelia looked at her commanding officer with a look of anger in her eyes.

"I have made my bed Arthur and I shall lie in it. I only insulted her as much as she did me, I can see no wrong in that. I will take any punishment that will proportionate to the crime, but I cannot see where a crime has been committed toward her." Arthur shook his head before turning to Tristan in anger.

"Ride ahead and make sure the road is clear, take Amelia with you!" Tristan nodded quickly before kicking his horse into action, Amelia obediently followed.

It was a while before the two stopped at the top of a hill and looked down, the area was clear to Tristan but to Amelia far to the East lay the Saxons.

"Do you blame me for insulting that woman?" Amelia asked Tristan as she gazed at him. She wanted a truthful answer and she knew that he was the only one that would give her it. Tristan looked at her quickly but he did not delay in his reply.

"No I do not blame you, I would have done the same. There is something strange about this woman Amelia, I just do not understand what!"

"I can feel it too Tristan. All I wish to know is why she is here and why she was so unprotected?"  
"I have thought the same questions, but something is wrong about that woman!"


	11. The Punishment is not Proportionate

The Punishment is not Proportionate to the Crime – Chapter 11

Amelia and Tristan still sat at the top of the hill, both of them looking east toward the hidden Saxon Army. Amelia noticed that Tristan smiled slightly before turning to her, a look of satisfaction on her face.

"Shall we go hunting Amelia?" He asked quietly. She sighed slightly in thought but did not immediately answer.

"It would be a good release to kill something," She said eventually. "It seems so long since I have killed, a Saxon may just make me happy." Tristan nodded quietly.

"We shall ride as far as possible and the go to foot. We will surprise them." As Tristan said this Amelia nodded to him taking in everything he said, she had killed woads but never a Saxon, would they be the same to kill? Would she kill them with the same hatred or will she feel regret afterwards for killing innocent people? No of course she wouldn't!

They both kicked their heels into their horses and urged them down the hill to the woods. They rode as far as possible, like Tristan had said and then took the rest of the journey by foot. It was not long after when the small Saxon army came into view.

"There are only twenty of them Tristan, I thought there would have been more." Amelia whispered as he crouched down beside her.

"They are probably scouting the area for anything of use to them. I think we should kill them so they cannot return to their commander." Amelia nodded in agreement to Tristan's statement. "We should use bow only and keep moving so it appears that there is more of us. It will frighten them more to think they are in an ambush."

"Of course," Amelia said with sarcasm. "I was thinking the same thing!" In truth, she knew what was supposed to be done before Tristan had even started talking. "I will take the South side and attack from the back. You may take the front."

"Yes I agree." Tristan said as he nodded his head. Amelia quickly wandered away through the woods without being seen by the Saxons.

She quickly found a safe position far out of Saxon shooting range and placed herself in some bushes. She sat and waited. It would be her to fire the first arrow and from them Tristan would attack the front. Why was she so scared? Deep inside Amelia felt the pang of fear which nearly made her turn and run but then she thought of her family and what Merlin had told her, the anger quickly boiled up inside as she raised three arrows. She pulled the drawstring back quickly holding the arrows in place until it was level with her lip and then released it letting the arrows fly through the air. All three of the arrows Amelia fired hit the rear of the flanks and she watched carefully from her position as three Saxons fell from arrows to their neck and head. She smiled slightly before moving to a new location.

Tristan had seen the exquisite marksmanship from Amelia when her first arrows had hit the flanks and was amazed that a woman could hit a target from such a distance. But then she was not like any other woman, she was in a way like him, wild, revengeful and bloodthirsty, the few things he liked in a woman.

Tristan and Amelia fired arrow after arrow into the Saxons who seemed to think that they were being attacked by a phantom army. They looked around puzzlingly, firing arrows in any direction apart from at the directions that Amelia and Tristan were hiding. This caused the pair to laugh even harder at the stupidity of the Saxon's and as Amelia killed the last standing Saxon Tristan burst from the trees a huge grin on his face. Amelia also exited her hiding place and walked over to the dead bodies.

"They did not even see us." Amelia said in excitement the adrenalin still present in her body. "The stupid men did not even have a chance!" Tristan smiled.

"You did well! I saw your first shot, that was impressive from your position." Amelia laughed at him.

"What you mean that it was impressive of a woman to kill at that distance." He nodded shyly and Amelia pounded him on the back.

"Do not worry Tristan, I will not kill you for saying such a thing. I will take it as a compliment instead!" He laughed at her as she turned and walked back into the woods looking for her horse.

Arthur and the other Knights watched in silence as Amelia and Tristan rode toward them, both with smiles on their faces. They quickly took their own positions around the caravan in a protective circle and said nothing.

"Are you not going to tell us how many you killed then?" Bors said in an irritated voice.

"We would not wish to worry you Bors," Amelia said to him. "By the idea that the Saxons were so close to your ass." The other Knights laughed at Amelia's statement but Bors quickly shrugged it off and turned to Tristan.

"How many did you kill Tristan?"

"The total was around twenty."

"That is a good hunt, I bet you enjoyed it!" Bors particularly looked at Amelia as he said this but she ignored him and looked across to where the sun was just starting to set.

At around midday two days later the caravan and party of Knights pulled into the Wall and Amelia saw again the familiar sight of the children stood at the huge gates.

"Your children will be glad to see you home safely Bors!" Amelia said to him.

"That they will." Bors smiled wildly.

"But then I have always thought that number eight does not look like you!" Amelia smiled slightly as she said this. Lancelot quickly burst out laughing. This girl had learnt quickly he thought to himself, it was no wonder that she was liked by all of the Knights.

They all unpacked their horses and headed to their rooms where Amelia collapsed on her bed. She lay there silently thinking about the many Saxons she had killed, she did not feel guilt, she did feel a little sympathy for them that they had died so embarrassingly but she did not feel guilt.

She had laid in perfect harmony for a while before there was a knock on the door. She quickly shouted for the person to enter and she shot up straight on the bed when Arthur walked in.

"Arthur." She said in shock. He walked over to her and sat on the bed next to her.

"I wanted to thank you Amelia for helping Tristan to kill so many Saxons. It is appreciated very much. We could have gone into battle without you." She nodded silently.

"You do not have to thank me Arthur, there is no need for it." She paused slightly as she stood up and walked over to the window. "That is not the only reason why you came is it?" She asked him. She looked him in the eye quickly and she could quickly see the sadness that was in them.

"I do not wish to harm you Amelia but she is demanding it. She said that she would have all of my Knights assassinated if you are not punished. I can not run the risk of loosing my Knights Amelia."

"I can understand you Arthur. I do not hold you responsible, I would do the same if the Knights were mine."

"Would you?" She nodded silently. "Join us in the Table Room in ten minutes Amelia. You will discover your punishment then." Amelia nodded silently and watched as Arthur left the room.

Her punishment! What could it possibly be, was Arthur going to have her flogged or tortured in some other way. She swallowed hard, she was not frightened of the power that Lady Isabella had, if Amelia could turn back time she would not change a thing, she would still insult her despite the punishment.

Amelia walked into the Table Room quickly and as she settled into her seat the Knights and Lady Isabella grew silent. Amelia imagined that Lady Isabella was there to ensure that the punishment was harsh and it no doubt would be. She looked at the lady with a disgusted look before she turned to Arthur.

"I place no blame on you Arthur." Amelia whispered to the Commander who sat next to her. Arthur swallowed quickly.

"I have come to a decision." Arthur said to the people in the room. "I have decided that Amelia is to be punished for her insubordination to Lady Isabella. We have one year left to serve in Britain before we receive our discharge papers. As a result of her actions Lady Amelia will be joining us for that year, as a Knight. You will receive a discharge paper at the end of your service but before then you are a slave to the Roman Empire. You will do as they wish and be killed if you leave before you term ends. Do you understand Amelia?" Amelia sat with her mouth open in utter shock. She knew that the punishment would be harsh but this was much worse. She looked across at Lady Isabella who had a wide grin on her face of satisfaction. There was a thunderous bang which made Amelia escape from her thoughts. She looked across at Bors who was stood with a look of murderous vengeance on his face, he certainly was not happy and the prospect of Amelia being forced into servitude. He was also more than happy to show how displeased he was.


	12. Reactions

Reactions – Chapter 12

Amelia stared at Bors as he stood with his fist still firm on the table where it had hit with a deafening thud. The atmosphere had changed rapidly around the room and Amelia soon found herself to be watched by every Knight.

"What the hell is this?" Bors said in anger. "She is only a girl Arthur! Nothing more than a girl!" Arthur quickly turned to Isabella and nodded his head to her.

"Lady Isabella, I thank you for your company at this table but I now whish to speak to my Knights in private." Lady Isabella's eyes widened at being asked to leave the room by the commander but she reluctantly stood and bowed her head slightly to Arthur.

"I thank you for allowing me here Arthur." Isabella said. Her eyes quickly moved to Amelia and a small grin appeared on her face. "It has been most pleasurable." Lancelot stood quickly in anger but he did not say anything to the woman as she turned and walked from the room.

The Knights remained silent for a moment until they were sure that Lady Isabella had returned to her chambers. I was a moment later when Bors yet again spoke.

"What is this Arthur?" Bors asked. "How can you give a young girl the same punishment as what we have had to endure for fourteen years?" Arthur sighed slightly.

"Sit down Bors, and I will explain." Bors sat down quickly and stared at his commander. "Lady Isabella came to me a short time ago to discuss Amelia. She thought that I was being truthful when I said that I would punish Amelia, but she was mistaken, I had no such intention."

"But then why are you punishing her?" Lancelot asked.

"Lady Isabella threatened me." Arthur said quietly. "I informed her that I had no intention to cause Amelia harm and she became angry. She threatened that she would have my Knights assassinated and ensure that Rome removed themselves from the Wall. I could not allow the wall to remain undefended if Isabella was telling the truth, the people would suffer. But most of all, I feared for my knights, the Knights I have fought with for so long." Arthur paused slightly. "She demanded that Amelia neither be killed or be sentenced to a year of servitude. I thought for a long time about which one was worst." Arthur turned to Amelia at this. "I am sorry Amelia, it was the best I could do."

"Like I said before Arthur, I will not blame you. The person I am to blame is no longer here. It is to her I shall forever hold my hatred." Arthur nodded.

"This is not right Arthur, a young woman as a Knight." Dagonet said. "What if she was unable to defend herself?"

"I think that we all know that such things will not happen with her, we will always be by her side. She will have no reason to feel fear." Amelia stood quickly feeling the tears come to her eyes. The Knights looked at her quickly but she turned away from them and rushed from the room.

As she ran through the corridors she could feel nothing but hatred for Lady Isabella, that woman had caused her pain and she would live to regret it!"

"Amelia!" A male voice shouted behind her. She ignored it and kept running not realising that the man following her had caught up and quickly grabbed her arm. He pulled her to a stop and as Amelia turned around she saw that it was Tristan. She looked to the floor as tears fell.

"You should not weep, it does not become you."

"A year, Tristan! A year I have to spend as a servant to Rome!"

"Before you think of such things imagine that we have fought here for fourteen years. You are lucky to have one!"

"She will regret this Tristan. Lady Isabella Roche will pay for what she did to me! I will have revenge!" Amelia went to turn away but Tristan caught her arm.

"You stupid woman!" He hissed. "Do you not see that she wants you to do exactly that! She wants you to retaliate because she would prefer you dead! Your stupidity would be one of the things that would grant her that wish!" Amelia stared into Tristan's eyes, most would hold fear for him but Amelia turned to him with the same disgust. She pulled her arm from him quickly.

"Do not touch me! If you had a little decency Tristan you would not have said those things to me! My stupidity may result in my death as it resulted in my families but at least I would have died for a cause, I would have died for a reason Tristan!" His top lip curled in disgust at her words.

"It repulses me to hear you say such things! You were reluctant to die when we found you. When we brought you to the wall I thought that would kill you but no, you pulled through all of the pain and suffering! I was surprised at first that a stupid woman like you could ever raise a sword but as time passed by and you settled into your surroundings, it made me understand that one day the stupidity you possess will get you killed. If not by a Saxon hand it will be from a Roman, you have too much cheek to survive long here!" She raised her hand and slapped him forcefully across the face.

"How could you Tristan?" She asked quietly but with force. "How can you say such things that you know will hurt me? You never feel anything for anyone's feelings but your own. It is no wonder the wench's don't come to you. I would be disgusted to listen to you for longer than a matter of moments!"

"That is your feelings about me My Lady. I assure you that I have my own opinions of you which I will no longer share. I hope that Lady Isabella takes pleasure in your faults." He turned quickly and marched away toward the stables.

As Amelia lay on her bed she thought about Tristan, she was surprised he did not strike her when she hit him. The conversation between them was of something that Amelia could not easily forget. The things that Tristan had said in truth or not was causing her heart to hurt. Did he really think such things about her? Did the Knights think such things? Was she really as weak as he had implied?


	13. Alcoholic Actions

Alcoholic Actions – Chapter 13

Amelia lay in bed the next morning thinking about her punishment, she did not know how long she had been awake. She knew that a few hours ago Lancelot came knocking on her door, shouting through it for her to answer. Yet she remained silent watching the wall as the familiar sounds of the Knights boots walked down the corridor.

She closed her eyes again as hot tears stung her eyes, thinking of her punishment. She was devastated to be a servant of Rome because of an insult. She was used to punishments from her father after she had been out hunting but nothing like this. Death would be worse for a woman, would she be able to survive the concepts of war and battle without being killed?

Amelia jumped slightly as there was knock at the door, she sighed quickly thinking it was Lancelot but when the door opened she sat up quickly, pulling the blankets around her. Two maids quickly walked through the door.

"Who the hell are you?" Amelia asked in anger. The maids bowed quickly.

"We are Lady Isabella's private maids." One said. "She asked if you would join her for a drink. She asked us to dress you." Amelia collapsed back on her bed and turned away from the young woman.

"You can tell Lady Isabella that I will not join her, I am sleeping."

"But it is midday miss." Amelia was shocked, had she really lay that long?

"Go away." Amelia said patiently.

"Our mistress will not be impressed miss, she does not like to be refused."

"Get out!" Amelia screamed at them at this point and as they rushed from the room looked at the wall and cried. The door opened again and Amelia had just picked a pillow up to throw at the maids when she realised a different person stood at the door, Lancelot.

"Now what are you doing frightening the servants away?" He said with a wild grin on his face. She lay back down quickly and turned away from him.

"Leave me alone!" He strode over to the bed at this.

"I will not, you are leaving this room even if I have to drag you in your night clothing." She looked at him as he stood looking down on her.

"You wouldn't dare!" He pulled the blankets from her body quickly and pulled her from the bed so she was stood in the middle of the room.

"You cannot live in this room Amelia." He said as he walked across the room and picked up some breeches and a shirt for her to wear.

"Where are we going Lancelot?" She asked sadly.

"The tavern of course." He said as he placed the clothes in her arms. She smiled quickly.

"Let's get drunk!" She cried as she ran into the next room to pull on her clothes.

"Yes Amelia, lets get drunk." Lancelot said to himself. At least in that way she may forget her punishment for a while. Well, at least till the morning when a headache made it worse.

As night fell the Knights were still sat around the table in the tavern. Amelia and Lancelot were the people who appeared most drunk but Galahad was not far behind. The Knights all laughed loudly as Gawain yet again told the story of the woman who gave him flees. It was to Amelia's enjoyment when he pointed the woman herself out as she walked toward him. The Knights smiled into their cups as the woman plonked herself on Gawain lap and smiled brightly.

"Hello darlin'" She said to Gawain who looked ill at the sight of her. He looked across at Amelia with pleading eyes as she sat with her drink. Was she going to help him or just sit and laugh?

Amelia hit her cup loudly of the table before standing up quickly. She swayed over to Gawain and the woman slowly and stopped in front of them, anger present on her face.

"What is your name then?" Amelia asked trying to keep the slur from her speech.

"Louisa." Amelia smiled broadly.

"Louisa…nice name!" The Knights giggled around her. "I think it escaped your notice that my Gawain here does not want your fat ass sitting on his lap. You will surely break his legs soon enough." She opened her mouth in shock.

"Who the hell do you think you are!" Louisa said in anger.

"She's a Knight love!" Bors said before laughing at Louisa's expression. Amelia grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her from Gawain's lap. She pushed her away slightly before taking the position on Gawain's lap. The prostitute stood looking at Amelia in disgust before she finally spoke.

"You can have him! Louisa said. "He only uses whores anyway." Amelia smiled.

"Yes, that is why he used you. That is why no other Knight wants to use you, you disgust them, now go!" Louisa turned quickly and walked from the tavern, her nose in the air. As she left the Knights table burst into laughter and Amelia peeled Gawain's hands off her body. She stood up quickly and regained her seat.

"Thank you Amelia. Perhaps you could save me more often or sit on my lap more." Gawain said as he smiled.

"I will always be at your service Gawain. But I will never sit on your lap for the amusement of it, you can find someone else without flees for that." She said mockingly. The Knight laughed before he turned to talk to Bors.

It was a while later when Bors caught Amelia's attention and after she was leaned into him the rest of the Knights listened with interest.

"That man on the table next to us." Bors said as he nodded his head to the next table. "The bald one."

"You're bald." Gawain said, Amelia laughed at his remark but Bors dismissed it.

"He's been eyeing you all night. I think he wants you." Amelia laughed. "Why don't you go and give him some of that attitude you showed Louisa." Amelia smiled slightly at the challenge and as she looked over at the man she found that he was looking at her.

"If I win, you buy me a drink." Amelia said to Bors.

"And what are the terms?" Bors asked.

"I know." Lancelot said. The Knights looked at him, eagerly listening. "Everyone who looks at Amelia in the eye says that she appears vicious. I say that she has to get the man to put his hands on her."

"I will agree to that. I would not dare touch you, I would have a broken nose!" Bors said.

"I will agree to that." Amelia said. She quickly nodded to Bors and stood up. She swayed over to the man and looked down at him. She quickly straddled his legs and looked into his eyes, he stared straight into hers.

"I saw you looking." Amelia said.

"I like the view." The man said coldly. She smiled slightly.

"I wager that you would like to touch as well?" She smiled at him before letting her lips brush along his neck. "You can if you want. She whispered in his ear. "I do not bite." She saw his shoulders heave slightly before she felt it, his hands on her legs, she had won! Now all she had to do was get out of it. She looked him in the eye again before gently patting him on the cheek.

"There are quite a few women around here who will provide for you. But not I, so keep you eyes away from me." She smiled at him as he looked up at her with anger before she jumped up and walked back to the Knights table. She plonked back down in the seat as all of the Knights stared at her.

"How did you do that?" Bors asked. She laughed.

"That is my secret Bors, now you owe me a drink." He grumbled slightly before he called a girl over.

The Knights had just finished their ale when Dagonet looked to the entrance of the tavern. Everyone else's eyes followed to where Lady Isabella stood with one of her servants. Amelia sighed quickly.

"Well, I think I have finished here." She said. "Now that we have an unwelcome guest. You enjoy yourselves." Amelia stood up quickly but she realised that Dagonet and Lancelot had also stood.

"I'm not sitting with her." Lancelot said. "I despise her!"

"And I." Dagonet said.

"Shall we walk to the wall then?" Amelia said before she stared to walk away. She did not realise until a moment later that all of the Knights had stood and followed her. They now all appeared to despise Lady Isabella for what she had done and as Amelia walked past she flashed the Lady a smile which was surely understood as a one of hatred.


	14. The Assassin

The Assassin – Chapter 14

Amelia collapsed on her bed fully clothed, the room was spinning wildly, God she had drunk too much, but she had fun. She felt that when she was with the Knights she could say what she wanted and most of the time her fellow Knights felt the same. She laughed to herself as she got up and started to undress. As she pulled her foot out of her breeches she lost he balance and fell on her face, she turned onto her back and giggled.

When she got into bed she found that she could not stop laughing, her giggles increased until she heard Lancelot shout at her through the wall. She placed her hand over her mouth quickly in hope of trying to silence her laughter but she could not control it. She did not know what she was laughing at, she just found something funny.

When she finally prevented her laughter she closed her eyes to the darkness around her and tried to forget how fast the room was spinning. Her eyes shot open as her door opened and someone walked in. She could not see them, it was far to dark. She slowly slid her hand under the pillow next to her and placed her hand on the blade which had been put there for protection. She turned her eyes back to the door quickly but her view was blocked by a tall man stood over her bed. She gripped her dagger tighter.

"What the hell do you want?" She said in anger as she looked at the bald man from the tavern.

"I wanted to give you something." He said quietly. Amelia laughed.

"What can you possibly want to give me?"

"A present." She smiled slightly but the smile faded as the man drew a knife and placed it against her throat.

"Such a wonderful present." She said in a mocking tone. "I shall have to thank the person it is from. Is it you?"

"No it is not me." He said in disgust. "Take you hand from under the pillow," He ordered. "But leave the knife there." She swallowed slightly but left her arm still.

"You cannot order me to do anything!"

"Move your God damn arm!" She laid still, the knife digging into her skin. He jumped on top of her and sat on her hips. He grabbed her wrist quickly and pulled it from under the pillow. He smiled down at the knife which she held in her hand.

"A nice knife." The man said as he pulled it from her grip.

"It will appear even nicer when I kill you with it." He smiled down at her before throwing the knife into the corner of the room. She sighed.

"You will not have the chance to kill me, I am too experienced for you." She laughed.

"You underestimate me." She hissed. "Do you know what I am?"

"Of course I know who you are, you are a Knight! But that will be no object for me, I will do my duty either way."

"Your duty, so you are employed by someone who is not brave enough to carry out their own business!" She paused slightly. "Have you never heard of what the woads call the Vicious Lover?"

"Of course I have. I listen to woad rumours." She laughed.

"You are very unfortunate then, for I am the Vicious Lover."

"You lie!" She smiled.

"I wish I were lying for I will so wish I was a normal woman. I may have insulted you in the tavern as a normal woman may have but I am very different."

"I confess that I was rather surprised that you declined me, other women would have taken me."

"But you forget that I am not other women." He nodded.

"How can I believe you?" He asked.

"You will soon enough."

"I will not, you will be dead soon, by my hand." She sighed.

"You should not torture your prey like this, they may become stronger than what you are."

"Very unlikely." He said as he shook his head.

"Why do you not kill me now and then go, save yourself from Arthur's anger."

"I cannot kill you quickly, it does not become me. And as for Arthur, he will not suspect my employer so he has no need to suspect me. Also, I could not kill you quickly you are far too beautiful to be killed without pain." He planted a rough kiss on her neck.

"You disgust me!" She said. "Is this because I refused you?"

"No of course not, my actions in the tavern were to get close to you. Although if you had accepted I would have had my enjoyment first." Amelia felt the anger boil in her and for a moment as he looked toward the door she seized her chance. She rolled over with all of the force she could gather and sat on top of him, she pulled the dagger from his hand and placed it against his own throat. She laughed at him.

"I told you that you underestimated me." He stared up at her and for the first moment he realised that she was not lying, she was the Vicious Lover and she could kill him. He swallowed quickly pushing his fear away and looked into her eyes.

"I never knew that you were the Vicious Lover, I feel sorry for you. To be trapped in such a life."

"Do not feel sorry for me."

"Is that why since I have been here you have never been in the company of a man. Is it because you do not want them to feel sorry for you?"

"Shut up!" He laughed.

"Any man would enjoy having you to keep them company. I am sure that your fellow Knights will take advantage of you while you serve your sentence!" She jumped off the bed quickly pulling him with her. She stood at the side of the bed pointing the dagger at him as he grinned.

"Walk toward the door." She said. He did not move so she pushed him to the door picking up her twin blades as she passed. He opened the door and walked out, she ordered him to turn left and after a slight prick in the back with one of her own blades he moved.

They stopped outside of Lancelot's room and Amelia kept her eyes on the man who had a short while ago wanted to kill her. She kicked the bottom of Lancelot's door heavily.

"Lancelot!" She yelled.

"Go away Amelia!" She heard him shout through the door. "I am trying to sleep!" She kicked his door heavily again.

"Lancelot! Get your lazy ass here now!" She almost screamed through the door and as it opened she slightly smiled at him.

"What!" Lancelot said in anger, he then noticed the man and looked at Amelia with curiosity. "What is this Amelia?" He asked her.

"This bastard just tried to kill me!" She said in anger as she stared at the bald man. Lancelot quickly disappeared into his room and came back holding his swords. He raised his sword to the man's neck.

"That is not the worst news Lancelot." Amelia said to him.

"What is it?"

"I think he is an assassin." Lancelot stared at her for a moment not wanting to criticise her before he regained his composure.

"I will stay with him, you go and get the other Knights." Lancelot said. Amelia nodded and lowered her sword. She walked up the corridor and pushed open Dagonet's door. She realised that the large man immediately sat up.

"Dagonet, we have a problem." Dagonet nodded and Amelia took his sign and walked down the corridor.

She opened Tristan's door to find him sat in a chair, he immediately stood at the sight of her.

"Help me to get the other Knights Tristan, we have a problem." He nodded and walked from his room.

"You get Gawain, I will get Galahad." Tristan said to her. For the moment they would forget the argument they had, at the moment in time they had to work as a team, as brothers.

Amelia watched as Tristan walked into Galahad's room and then turned to Gawain's. She opened the door quickly and walked in. Amelia's mouth opened in shock as she saw Gawain in the middle of the room with a young girl stood in front of him, a knife at his throat.

"Help me Amelia!" Gawain said. "She's an assassin!"


	15. Gawain's safety or demise?

Gawain's Safety or demise? – Chapter 15

Amelia stood in the doorway to Gawain's room for a moment in complete shock. Why had Gawain and her been attacked by assassins and no one else?

"Shut the door!" The assassin said as she pushed the knife harder into Gawain's neck. Amelia feared for Gawain's life so quickly walked in and closed the door with a thud.

"Come closer, away from the door!" Amelia swallowed at her order, she still held her twin swords in her hands with anger in her heart and eyes.

"Do not harm him." Amelia said but the girl did nothing but laugh. The evil laugh sent shivers down both Knights' spines making them look at each other for a moment before the girl spoke again.

"Drop your weapons!" She said angrily. Amelia stood still, disobeying her order, the weapons still held tightly in her hands. "I said drop them!" She pushed the knife into Gawain's throat so hard that he squinted in pain. Amelia quickly let her weapons drop to the floor, now she was unarmed, she desperately needed help or Gawain would die.

"Look at you," Amelia said in disgust to the girl. "You do not look old enough to be an assassin!"

"I have probably killed more men than you!" Gawain laughed in her face.

"Very unlikely." He added. "Why do you do this?"

"It is my charge, I am destined to do this!" The girl answered Gawain's question with as much anger as what he had stated it.

"Destined to kill innocent people!" Amelia said raising her voice in fury.

"You are not innocent!" She screeched. "All of the Knights are cursed and evil - you shall all die!"

"It is a shame then that your partner who was destined to kill me this evening shall go to his own death!"

"Andreas failed?" The girl asked in sadness,

"Very easily, he underestimated me, something I told him not to do!"

"I will not make the same mistake."

"Why was he destined to kill me?"

"It is his employment. There are certain reasons which have merited your own death. Our employer will not be pleased that Andreas has failed. They will kill you with more hatred now!" Amelia did nothing but laugh at the girl's threat.

"But why Gawain and me?"

"You two were the easiest to get to. You who shows anger to all men, and refuse their advances. But Gawain," She turned to him and looked him in the eye. "You were too easy to get to, you who takes a different woman to your bed each night. All I had to do was be one of those luckier women who you chose. Our initial thoughts were of Lancelot but he appears to use only the women he knows well. Andreas had the hard part, he had to seduce the lovely Amelia here. But to him it proved harder than what he thought, her who slept alone and even slept with a knife under her pillow."

"Shut up!" Gawain said to her. "Keep your filthy mouth shut!" The girl watched him and laughed.

Amelia watched as the girl looked away, she quickly bent down and placed one of her hands on a sword hoping to be in time to help Gawain, she was now the only one who could save him in time. But then she was stopped by the assassin's voice.

"Do not even think of picking that sword up." Amelia looked up at the girl but remained near the floor. "Do you really think that I would let him live if you had a sword in your hand?" Amelia shook her head. "Good, now stand up straight!" Amelia slowly raised herself to a standing position. She was just at full height when the girl plunged the knife into Gawain's right shoulder and pushed him to the floor. Amelia immediately cried out and ran to Gawain, she could not let him die now.

As Amelia sat on the floor next to Gawain she felt the cold blade on the skin of her throat. She swallowed as she looked at the knife which would so easily kill her.

"Do not force me to kill you!" Amelia said, tears stinging her eyes. "Give yourself up and your life will be spared."

"What after I give you the name of my employer?"

"Of course that would be necessary, but you would be safe at the wall. No one could harm you here." The girl laughed.

"Is that what you were told when you were brought here? That you would be safe? And look at you, on your knees in front of me."

"I am not on my knees in front of you, I am in front of Gawain. I do not care for you, you can kill me if you desire it so. I will at last be free."

"I will never surrender to you, and I am sure that you will never surrender to me. I will have to kill you then!"

The door suddenly burst open and Amelia sighed in relief as she saw Tristan stood there. The girl stared at him in disbelief as Amelia pulled a dagger from her boot and thrust it through the girls kneecap. The crunch and snap of broken bones was unbearable but it was exactly what Amelia had wanted, she had given her pain. As the girl lay screaming on the floor in pain Amelia stood and looked down at her, a look of happiness on her face, for she had revenge on the assassins.

Tristan disarmed the girl quickly as Amelia saw to Gawain's wound. It was deep but it had not hit any vital part of his body.

Gawain was gently laid on the bed as the girl remained on the floor. It was at this that Arthur walked in to observe the situation before him.

"I have heard of what happened." Arthur said as he looked around at the party of Knights who now stood in the room. "Tristan came for me. Why is that girl on the floor?" Arthur made his way to the girl but was stopped by Tristan's voice.

"She was another assassin, sent to attack Gawain."

"I thought you would have taken her to the cells Tristan." Arthur said.

"No, I thought that you would wish to see the woman who attacked one of your Knights." Tristan said and Arthur nodded.

"Perhaps, why is she not guarded properly, she will get away?" Lancelot laughed.

"That is very unlikely." He commented. "Amelia shattered her knee, she cannot even walk!" Arthur grinned slightly at Amelia as she sat next to Dagonet on the bed.

"How is he?" Arthur asked.

"He will be alright, he just needs stitching. He will wake soon. The healer has been sent for." Arthur nodded.

"Take her to the cells!" Arthur pointed to the girl in disgust, she had been part of the plan to assassinate his Knights but who would want such at thing?

"What is to happen to them Arthur?" Amelia asked.

"They will be tortured until we know some information." Amelia smiled at his reply, finally what she wanted, the chance to find out who was plotting against her, for when they did they would surely see death, by her own hand.


	16. The torture of Kate

**Authors note: All words in **_**Italics**_** are flashbacks and most of this chapter takes place as a POV.**

**WARNING: This chapter has scenes of violence and torture: If you don't like it, don't read it.**

The Torture of Kate – Chapter 16

As Amelia and Arthur walked to the cells where the two assassins were being held, Amelia saw that Arthur was deep in thought and something seemed to be disturbing him.

"What is wrong Arthur?" She asked politely. At the sound of her voice he looked up gazing inexplicably, almost like had just woken from a sleep.

"Oh, I am sorry Amelia. I was thinking."

"Of what, the assassins?"

"No of you." Arthur confessed. Amelia locked her eyes with Arthur, any other woman would have looked away. She stopped quickly and looked into his face as he stopped beside her.

"Then tell me your thoughts Arthur. I do not like to see them trouble you." He nodded slightly.

"You do not have to come to the cells Amelia," He started. "If you do not wish to. I will make your excuses."

"Why would I not Arthur? I wish to know why Gawain and I were condemned to death. Surely you can understand that?"

"Of course I can. But be aware that the torture you will see in these cells will haunt your dreams. They will be far worse than anything you have ever seen." Amelia started walking again as she smiled.

"I am sure that it will not, I have seen many things Arthur, my dreams have always been haunted and I have an experience with torture from my father, if you remember?"

"I do, but Tristan tortures people with no thought or feeling, it may seem undeserving to you." Amelia laughed slightly.

"I assure you that it will not. Those people deserve every punishment they receive." Arthur nodded slightly in agreement. "Who are we to be torturing Arthur, the man or the young girl?"

"The girl, Tristan said that she will be the one that is easiest to break."

"And what if Tristan is wrong?" Arthur looked at the young woman as she said this, knowing that she was the first person to truly contradict Tristan's beliefs.

"It is very unlikely that Tristan is wrong, he very rarely is." Amelia smiled at her commander.

"But there is always an occasion for it, is there not?" Arthur nodded slightly, understanding her point.

As they arrived at the cells Lancelot came rushing over.

"Arthur." He said. "Tristan has just gone down to the cells. He asked for us to join his as soon as possible."

"He has gone alone?" Amelia asked in shock.

"Of course he has," Lancelot answered. "He is a big man, I am sure that he can take care of himself." Lancelot laughed slightly at his own sarcasm before turning away from her and following Arthur down into the darkness within.

**Amelia's POV**

As my foot tapped onto the first step leading down into the cells a terrible smell met me. It was not of decaying flesh but of blood. I had always known the smell of blood but the Roman cells inside of the fort seemed to allow the smell to drift more freely in the claustrophobic room.

I stepped into the main part of the room and saw a long line of cells all dark and mysterious, similar to their occupants. Many of the cells seemed to be empty but as we walked closer some of the mysterious people moved from the small amount of light into the dark corners of their cell. They were clearly afraid of what the entrance of the Knights meant, torture for one unlucky person.

I followed Lancelot's back further down the row of cells until he came to an abrupt halt, I had to stop quickly but it failed when I crashed into the back of the man in front of me. He turned slightly looking toward me with his usual mischievous smile before he looked into a cell. I looked closer into the darkness of the cell and there sure enough was the girl who had attacked Gawain. She was hidden in the corner of the room, clearly asleep, the darkness surrounding her like a protective cover which could soon be broken. I smiled slightly thinking of her soon confession which would surely place another person behind bars.

I looked across at Tristan who also stood looking at the girl, he seemed for a moment to have some sympathy in his eyes but as I examined him closer it was more of a feeling of excitement for the upcoming entertainment. I laughed to myself slightly, I can understand how he felt, wanting to harm people without having a guilty conscience, I had once done it myself. He marched into the cell ready to conduct his orders for Rome and for his brother-in-arms who suffered at her knife. He looked down at her slightly and I thought for a moment that he would wake her carefully, but I was wrong. He looked down at her with utmost disgust before plunging his heavy boot into her curled up body. Her eyes shot open quickly and she cried out, the one thing he wanted.

"Get up!" He said as he grabbed her arm and pulled her on to her uninjured leg.

"I cannot walk you idiot!" She shouted at him.

"Then hop!" Tristan retaliated. He pushed her from the cell quickly and as she stood in front of us, she looked up at me carefully.

"Be careful," She whispered to me. "If you are not betrayed by another Roman you will be by a Samartian." Tristan pulled her away slightly.

"What!" I said to her as I pushed in front of Arthur and strode behind her. "What do you mean by that!" She turned her head and looked at me, a smile across her face but she gave no answer. A hand slowly enclosed around my arm and pulled me back. I looked up into the eyes of Lancelot.

"Calm yourself," He said gently as Arthur walked after Tristan. "What did she say?" I swallowed quickly.

"She said that I have to be careful, if I am not betrayed by another Roman I will be by a Samartian."

"What could that mean?" He said in disgust.

"I do not know." I looked down at the floor.

"Do you think that the person who passed the order for the Knights' assassination was Roman?" He said in shock.

"I do not know Lancelot, perhaps. It would explain why all the Knights were to be killed, a Roman grudge perhaps."

"A Roman could easily bring assassins into the wall, so many of them visit here, they could disguise them as maids or whores. We would not know the difference." I nodded at Lancelot.

"If it is so we are in a lot of danger, there could be many assassins here waiting for the opportune moment." Lancelot nodded.

"I will speak with Arthur." I nodded to him. "Come, we must go."

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"To the torture room."

When we entered the large room Tristan looked up and nodded.

"I thought you two had disappeared." Tristan said with a smirk on his face. I shook my head.

"No we were talking." Tristan nodded and looked down at the girl who sat at his feet. Arthur looked at the woman for a moment before he actually spoke to her.

"Will you tell me your name?" He asked. The girl looked up at him before she smiled.

"Which one, I have many." Tristan kicked her in the ribs again but at this point she rolled on to her uninjured side and cried, holding her ribs tightly.

"How about the one your mother and father gave you?" She looked up for a moment and I thought for a moment that she was not going to answer.

"Kate." Tristan looked down at her quickly and I pulled a puzzled look.

"What is wrong?" Lancelot asked me. I shook my head.

"Something is wrong," I said. "She gave us that too easily."

"How old are you?" Arthur asked.

"Sixteen." I swallowed, Gods she was young, too young to be an assassin.

"Who do you work for?" Tristan asked.

"No one!" As a response to this lie Tristan kicked her in the face until she spat blood onto the damp floor beneath her. She coughed slightly before looking up at Tristan.

"Who do you work for?" He repeated. She inhaled a large amount of air before looking back to the floor.

"No one." It seemed like hours later when we were still stood on the same spot. Tristan had asked the same question about her employer for the whole time and every time she answered "No one". For every lie Kate told she was kicked in the face or ribs, until she was bleeding so much that Arthur raised his hand.

"She is not going to answer our question." Tristan looked up at his commander, awaiting his next instructions. "Tie her up, get the whip." Tristan smiled slightly before he pulled the girl to her feet and tied her up. She stood still on one foot as Tristan left the room and entered again with a large whip. I swallowed quickly.

I was so entertained by watching the whip in Tristan's hand that I did not notice Lancelot move toward the girl. He stood behind her silently before placing his hands at the top of her shirt and ripping it down the back. He pushed the shirt open to reveal the scars of another punishment. He moved aside to let Arthur see the healed wounds and then stood beside me again.

"This is not going to work," I said to Lancelot. "She will not give us anything, she has survived a beating, she will survive the other without a word escaping her lips." Lancelot nodded in agreement for I knew he was also thinking the same.

"Amelia," Arthur said as he turned to me. "I ask you now, would you like to leave before we begin?" I swallowed quickly trying to find the courage to speak.

"Yes." I said nothing more, I just walked around the room slightly, not watching the sight before me, only listening.

At every thrash of the whip I jumped slightly, the sound of the impact and the small scream made my memory travel to a place I did not wish to revisit.

_I ran through my bedchamber door and threw my swords under the bed, blood still present on their metal, would he have the sense to look there? I ran to the bowl of water which sat on the dressing table and placed my hands in it, desperately scraping the blood from them. I pulled my hands out of the bowl quickly as the door opened and my father flew in. I walked into the middle of the room quickly, drying my hands on the back of my night dress._

"_Where have you been?" My father asked in bitterness. _

"_My Lord, I have been present in my chamber all evening, ask my maid if you would like proof." I swallowed quickly hoping that he would take my lie. I was surprised when he slightly nodded and walked around me to the dressing table, I turned watching him as he stopped and looked down into the bowl of water, which was stained red. I swallowed. _

"_What is this?" He asked as he pointed to the water. _

"_Forgive me my lord, I cut myself." He slowly walked over to me and I stood in front of him, my eyes diverted when he grabbed my chin. He pulled my face so I had to look into his eyes._

"_I hope that you are not lying to me daughter, for if you are the consequences will be great." I nodded silently. I turned my eyes as the door opened and a maid walked in. _

"_You!" My father said to her. "Where has my daughter been this evening?" I looked at the maid with pleading eyes, hoping that she would not place me in danger. I swallowed quickly. _

"_I do not know my lord, the miss disappeared a while ago, she was nowhere to be found." I closed my eyes in horror. My one maid had deceived me!_

"_Get out!" My father yelled at her. She quickly exited the room, closing the door behind her. My father pushed me away slightly. _

"_You lied to me!" My father yelled. _

"_No father." He hit me across the face with such force that I fell to the floor. _

"_Do not disgrace your name with lies more than you already have, you little whore!"_

"_Father, please!"_

"_Give me them." He said in anger, I looked at him in puzzlement. "Your swords give me them." I swallowed quickly, I had no other choice, he was going to punish me, I should not make it worse by lying. I stood from the floor and walked to the bed where I removed my sword and handed them to my father. He quickly unsheathed one and looked at the blood upon it. I immediately saw the anger upon his face before he marched out of the room for his favourite toy…his whip!_

**Arthur's POV**

As I stood and watched Tristan beat the girl into a state of oblivion I happened to look across at Lancelot, he was appearing bored and Amelia…she looked in a state of distress. I quickly raised my hand to Tristan.

"That will do!" I said, Tristan nodded. He walked away from the girl throwing the whip to the floor in anger.

"Amelia" I said to her. It was then that she looked at me but her eyes locked with me for a moment before they rolled into the back of her head.

"Tristan!" I yelled to the scout. The scout saw it too and as he passed Amelia to the cells she fainted into his arms. I rushed to the scout as he placed her gently on the floor, brushing stray pieces of hair from her sweating brow. I looked up at Lancelot wondering how he had missed her feeling ill but instead I saw the look upon his face as he looked at the scout, a look of complete jealousy.


	17. The Dream

The Dream – Chapter 17

Tristan held Amelia tightly in his arms as he carried her through the fort, her body was limp and her brow was drenched with perspiration. Lancelot and Arthur rushed behind the scout watching as every person in the street stopped to examine the motionless girl in the scout's arms.

Tristan dismissed the people's stares, he was frightened for Amelia, not for anyone else. There must have been a reason for her to faint as she did, was it his actions that frightened her? But then she was not easily frightened, no it must be something else.

Lancelot kicked open Amelia's bedroom door and followed the scout in. Dagonet followed closely behind hoping to examine her. As Tristan placed her body on the bed the big man pushed forward and placed his hand on her forehead.

"What did she see?" Dagonet asked Tristan. Tristan shook his head in disbelief, staying silent. "What did she see!"

"We tortured the girl." Lancelot answered. Dagonet sighed.

"You were stupid to allow her to go there! Can you not remember the torture she received from her Father. That would make anyone faint!" Arthur nodded.

"She wanted to be there. She would book no refusal." The commander said.

"Stupid woman." Dagonet said before gently slapping her face.

"Amelia!" The big man shouted. "Amelia, wake up!" Amelia did nothing in response to this apart from toss her head from side to side. The three Knights watched in astonishment.

"Amelia!" Her eyes remained tightly closed and one word escaped her lips.

"Louisa!" She murmured. Lancelot looked at Arthur.

"Who is Louisa?" He asked, Arthur shrugged.

"Arthur." Dagonet said. "Get a cloth and bring that water." He pointed to a bowl in the corner. Arthur nodded quickly and walked over to the water. He came back and placed it at Dagonet's side. The Knight nodded his thanks before dipping the cloth in the water and placing it on Amelia's forehead.

"Will she be alright?" Lancelot asked. Dagonet nodded.

"We need to cool her temperature, she can go into a fever if we don't." Tristan swallowed quickly and watched the girl from the corner of the room.

"Did you get any information out of the girl, Arthur?" Dagonet asked.

"No. She would not even speak. She told us her name and age and that was all. She is sixteen years old Dagonet, only a child."

"A dangerous child." Lancelot added. Arthur nodded.

They all stood for a while watching Amelia as she tossed gently in the bed, calling out the same name. Dagonet took a sharp knife from his boot and placed it at the top of her shirt, he pulled it down quickly ripping her shirt open to below her breasts. Lancelot stood gawping at what the Knight had done.

"Amelia will not be happy." Lancelot said. Dagonet laughed slightly.

"Loosing a little of her dignity will be the least of her worries." Dagonet answered as he dampened the cloth again and tried to cool her neck and chest.

Arthur left a while later leaving the three Knights stood with hopes of her waking. They all stood silently around the room waiting for any sign of movement.

It seemed like more than an hour later when Amelia shifted in her bed, Lancelot rushed to Dagonet's side and looked down at her. Her eyes were tight closed like she was hoping to block out an image which frightened her. Lancelot and Dagonet leaned in closer and examined her face. It was then that her eyes shot open forcing Lancelot and Dagonet to jump back in shock. She lifted her hand to her forehead immediately and stroked her brow. It was then that her eyes met with the Knights'.

**Lancelot POV**

I had never seen a woman sit up so fast as what Amelia did on that day. She sat on the bed holding her shirt closed looking into the eyes of each of the Knights.

"Amelia," Dagonet said. "How are you feeling?" She stared at him for a moment before she spoke.

"I am well, what happened?"

"You fainted." I said. She shook her head slightly in denial. "It is true, you fainted in the torture room." She swallowed quickly and I knew that she could remember. "Who is Louisa?" She looked up at me quickly with those beautiful eyes and I thought for moment that she was going to scream at me.

"She is my sister, was my sister." I nodded.

"I am sorry that she haunts your dreams." She nodded at me.

"I see my sister quite frequently in my dreams but this time she gave me information." Tristan walked over to the bed, a puzzled look on his face.

"What do you mean? Your sister is dead, how can she give you information?" The scout asked. Amelia shrugged.

"I know how to get the information from the assassins." I opened my mouth in shock.

"How do you know that?" I asked. She jumped off the bed quickly and ran over to a pile of clothes.

"Trust me," She said. "That is all I am asking." She turned her back to us quickly and pulled her ripped shirt over her head, revealing the most luscious skin I have ever encountered before she pulled a clean one into its place.

"Amelia, do you really think you have to do this now? You should be in bed." Dagonet said. Amelia smiled. She did not seemed weakened at all, she stood gloriously in the sunset and smiled.

"Come along. We should not waste much time. We need to see Arthur."

Arthur listened attentively to the young lady's plan and for a moment I contradicted it. I did not wish to put her in danger, I had grown to love her as a sister, how could we bear to lose her? It was with reluctance that Arthur agreed to the plan and as they walked to the cells in the darkness I wondered if it would work.


	18. The Seduction of Andreas

**WARNING: This chapter contains scenes of a sexual nature, if you do not like it, don't read it!**

The Seduction of Andreas – Chapter 18

**Amelia's POV**

As I walked deeper into the cells with only Lancelot behind me I asked myself the same question that everyone else was asking, was this going to work? As we walked through the row of cells Lancelot stopped and rested against the wall. I looked at him, this was as far as he could come. His eyes looked at mine and as he mouthed the words "good luck" I smiled, I was going to do this. We would have revenge.

When I stopped outside of a cell I turned and slowly looked into it. The man lying on the floor looked up at me before laughing.

"What do you want?" The male assassin said.

"I want to speak to you." I said.

"What do you want to speak with me for? Let me guess, you wish to know the name of my employer. You are wasting your time!" He sat up as he said this looking at me with anger.

"No, I did not only come for that. I want to strike a bargain. Will you listen at least?"

"I will listen but not when you have all of those weapons." I nodded before removing every blade I held apart from one which was securely stored away in my boot.

"Now will you listen?" I asked. He nodded and stood up. He walked toward the bars and held on to them tightly. I walked closer to him until our faces were nearly touching.

"Are you here alone?" He asked me with surprise. "I thought you would have brought the Knights with you for protection."

"Who said that I needed protecting, Andreas?"

"How do you know my name?"

"I am a woman of good understanding and I know what you want." His eyes met mine for a moment. "Can I come in? I wish to speak to you face to face, not between metal bars." He nodded slightly before I unlocked the gate and walked into his cell. I locked it quickly behind me and turned to look at the man that had attempted to assassinate me. God how I hate him!

"Now, what do you wish to discuss? Do you have a proposition for me?" He said as he looked down my body.

"I do. I will give you what you want, if you give me some information. You answer my questions and you can take what you want." He said nothing for a moment. "I think we both know what the prize will be for opening your mouth." He laughed at this, an evil laugh that made me cringe.

"You are willing to sacrifice your body for a little piece of information that you will be able to do nothing with?" He laughed again.

"What makes you think that I will not be able to do anything with the information? As I told you before, I am a woman of good understanding."

"The person you are looking for, my employer, has too much power for you to be able to threaten."

"I will see about that, you just answer my questions." I turned slightly and paced across the length of the cell waiting for the question I knew was coming.

"What questions will that include? I know for a fact that you want to know who the person is but surely you will want to know something else. A woman does not give her body for the smallest bit of information you know." He smiled slightly as he said this. I stopped pacing immediately and turned to him.

"Just two simple questions, Andreas that is all I will ask. Who is your employer and where can I find this person?"

"You are willing to give a lot for two small questions." He said sarcastically.

"I know that, but also I know what you want and that is me. I saw it in your eyes in the tavern when we first met."

"You are a very intelligent woman! But how can I trust you? You will tell the Knights surely."

"No, I come alone. I wish to kill the person privately not with the Knights. It is my own revenge I seek, not the Knights'. You can trust me I give you my word." He nodded.

"I will hold you to that word, but you will ask only the two questions you stated? You will ask nothing about myself?"

"No, I do not care for how miserable your own past has been. I desire to know only about your employer." He nodded.

"And will you hold your side of the bargain?" I swallowed as he approached.

"I will. I desire this information greatly and this is the only way I can repay you for it. You do want me don't you?" I said as I walked closer to him and looked up into his eyes. He pushed me forcefully against the wall so I cried out and looked down at me. I smiled up at him, my eyes locking with his own.

"You ask your questions, and I will take what I want." He said before his lips crashed to my neck. My eyes rolled back into my head as he kissed down my collarbone, stopping for one moment to lift my shirt over my head.

He picked me up quickly and I wrapped my legs securely around his waist. I prayed that this would be over as quick as it stared. As he kissed my neck I thought about my question, was this going to work?

"Who is your employer?" I asked. He laughed into my neck slightly before he pulled me from the wall and laid me on the floor.

"I want my prize before I answer your questions."

"Fine, answer this one so we are equal. I have half of my prize and you have half of yours." He pulled his lips away from my neck quickly and looked down at me.

"Kiss me and I will give you what you want." I stared up at him for a moment before his lips met mine. It was a heated kiss on his part but not for me, I lay motionless waiting for him to pull away. When he did finally pull away he looked down at me and sighed.

"You are just as beautiful as I thought." He said.

"Now answer my question." He nodded gently.

"The Roman woman you are looking for sits under your nose. She even sleeps with you!" I placed my hands over my mouth in shock quickly as I understood whom he meant. I took them away quickly.

"You answered both of my questions." I said. "I thank you." I sat up quickly and kissed him. It was then that Lancelot walked in front of the cell. I smiled quickly as Andreas saw the scruffy haired Knight. I stood quickly and grabbed my shirt.

"You bitch!" Andreas yelled as he sat on the floor. "You deceived me. You tantalised me with your body! You whore!" I laughed as I held my shirt, covering my naked chest.

"I thank you for your services Andreas." I said. "They were most pleasing." He stared up at me but made no attempts to move from the floor. "And here is a little present from the vicious lover." I kicked him in the ribs, my boot crashing hard and causing a small cracking noise as one of his ribs broke. He lay on the floor in agony as I walked to the cell door and stepped out, locking it behind me.

I held the shirt gently against my body as Lancelot looked at me.

"You did well. I thought you would not be able to do it." I smiled slightly.

"We have the information that we wanted Lancelot, let's go." I pulled my shirt over my head quickly and as I opened my eyes I saw Lancelot looking at me. I laughed.

"It is like you have never seen a woman half naked before my dear Knight." I said in a mocking tone.

"Not one as beautiful as you." He said in the same tone. I laughed as I picked up my weapons and left with Lancelot.

As we walked through the wall to Arthur we both had smiles on our faces for the assassin had been uncovered. She would soon pay for the sadness she brought to the Knights and if it was not through torture it would be at my own sword. I smiled wildly at my success, for once in a long time I felt happy.


	19. The Interrogation of Isabella

The interrogation of Isabella – Chapter 19

Amelia looked at Lancelot in silence as they stood outside of Lady Isabella's chamber. Amelia stood outside of the door for a moment before she pushed the handle down and walked in, uninvited. She pushed the door hard so it hit behind a table positioned behind it and walked into the centre of the room. She looked to the bed where Isabella sat up staring at her.

"How dare you intrude on my privacy?" She asked in anger.

"Arthur demands to see you." Amelia said as she slightly nodded her head to the woman, some slight respect before she died.

"I will not go anywhere on demand!" Amelia smiled slightly.

"Of course ma'am. Forgive our behaviour. Arthur would desire your presence at the round table." Isabella nodded slightly.

"I would be glad to be company for Arthur. Inform him that I will dress and be there as soon as possible." Amelia nodded slightly.

"Thank you." Amelia turned quickly on her heel, not wanting to be polite to this woman any more than what she had to. She quickly closed the door behind her and stood next to Lancelot.

"Is she coming?" He asked.

"Of course she is. I used my wonderful charm to entice her into coming. Who can resist it?" Lancelot laughed slightly.

"No one I am sure." Amelia smiled at him for a moment before she turned to look at Lady Isabella's door. When she walked into the table room she would no longer be a free woman, she would be a prisoner, waiting for the end to come, the time when her death would be seen as a time of rejoice for many. Amelia smiled happily.

They stood for a long while before the door finally opened and Isabella walked out, followed closely by her two servants. Amelia noticed that the servants shrunk back slightly, remembering the welcome that they received from the lady Knight when they woke her that fateful morning. Amelia nodded her head slightly before following Lady Isabella down the long corridors to the table room.

When Amelia and Lancelot took their seats at the round table they all looked up to Isabella who stood at the table. All of the Knights including Gawain, who was now allowed to walk around sat impatiently waiting for their questions to be answered. Isabella made a move to sit in the chair but Arthur spoke.

"I did not give you permission to sit at our table Lady Isabella." Isabella stopped quickly and stood up straight, her angry eyes looking directly at Arthur.

"You have no right to bring me here and then insult me Arthur Castus. Should you be punished for your insubordination as well as Lady Amelia?"

"You cannot threaten me Isabella." Arthur said.

"We will not allow people to threaten one of our knights." Bors added. "The very few people who do lose their heads to my sword. Is that what you want missy?" Bors laughed slightly by the look of pure terror on Isabella's face.

"And you cannot threaten me, or the consequences will be too great for any of you to bear." Bors laughed slightly.

"I do not think so love." Bors said as he laughed.

"Why have you brought me here?" Isabella asked. Arthur looked up at her.

"To answer some questions." Arthur said to her. She looked shocked and Amelia noted that she seemed to look more frightened than ever.

"Ask your questions." The woman said in reply.

"Why did you want my Knights assassinated?" Arthur asked. Isabella swallowed slightly and collapsed into a chair, breathing heavily, her eyes wide open.

"How do you know that?" Isabella asked Arthur.

"One of our Knights got the information from one of the assassins you hired."

"Which one?" Arthur's jaw dropped in shock.

"Do you mean that you are not denying the charge?"

"Of course not, I did hire assassins to kill all of you. Now, I asked a question. Which one?"

"Which assassin?" Arthur asked and Isabella nodded. "Andreas, he was too easy to break, all we had to do was place a beautiful woman with him and he told us anything we wanted to know." Isabella laughed slightly.

"You found his one fault." She said. "The only reason he would betray Rome is because a woman was placed in front of him, let me guess please, the woman was Amelia." Isabella looked at Amelia quickly and as the female Knight smiled Isabella felt angry.

"It was far too easy to seduce him," Amelia added. "His flaws are the one thing which made it perfection. He told me everything about you even before he claimed his prize." Amelia laughed slightly at the memory of the man, the stupidity he had.

"Why did you want us dead Isabella? Any why were Gawain and Amelia the first to be assassinated?" Arthur asked.

"I do not kill for myself, I kill for Rome. My father as you know is a high ranking senator in Roman society, he expressed wished for the Samartian cavalry to be removed from indefensible outposts such as Britain. It was to his great disagreement that his request was denied and Arthur was to remain in Britain. He decided then that he wanted to take his own revenge and the only person he could use to not gather unwanted attention was me. I was the person that many people would ignore and not suspect. I was the best person to bring the assassins in and order them to do the tasks that were necessary. I chose Gawain because he was mainly the weakest Knight, he took a different woman every night. It was no trouble to get the assassin into the arms of Gawain, it was too easy actually. As for Amelia, I finally realized what a horror it must be for her to be a female Knight, something that is so strange and unreal that everyone is afraid of. I felt empathy for her and felt that if her life was taken it would be easier for her than to serve the empire. I made a mistake with choosing Amelia, she is one of the stronger Knights and if it were not for her I would have succeeded."

"Your father is a very stupid man for making such things happen. He must have known that he was placing you in danger, risking your life. What father would do such a thing?" Lancelot said.

"But you must understand my reasons!" Isabella said. Arthur stood up quickly.

"I have heard enough, I do not wish to hear any more. Take her away!" Isabella stood up quickly in fright as Tristan and Galahad walked up to her.

"Please Arthur," Isabella said as the two strong Knights took hold on her and started dragging her from the room. "Take pity on me!"

"A killer does not deserve pity!"

As the doors closed behind Isabella, Tristan and Galahad every other Knight relaxed back into their chairs and sighed in relief.

"At least she admitted to it." Amelia said to the Knights. They all nodded in agreement.

"I need a drink!" Bors said. Amelia laughed before she hit Lancelot in the arm.

"Come on Lancelot, let us go to the tavern, I wish to get drunk!" Lancelot laughed before he stood up and escorted Amelia to the tavern.

Amelia opened her eyes quickly and due to the intensity of the sun, was forced to close them again. She suddenly realized that she could not remember ever getting to bed, she and Lancelot had drunk in the tavern until the sun had set and started to rise again. It was from there that she could not remember, she looked down at her body and a sudden thought hit her. Who undressed me?

She immediately turned over to block her eyes from the sun but came into contact with a strong masculine body. She sat up quickly her mouth open.

"What the hell are you doing in my bed Lancelot?" She looked down at the strong man who lay naked next to her.

"What do you mean?" He asked. "You are in my bed!"


	20. Tristan's Discovery

Tristan's Discovery – Chapter 20

Amelia looked down at the handsome Knight lying next to her, pulling the covers over her naked body. Amelia glared at Lancelot evilly as he laughed.

"Too late to cover up now love, I have seen everything already." Amelia blushed slightly before she placed her face in her hands.

"My God, what have I done?" She said into the palms of her hands. Lancelot laughed again.

"What did we do Amelia?" He asked cheekily. Amelia glared at him before falling back into the pillows behind her.

"I cannot remember." She confessed. "I have a memory relapse, I cannot remember anything after sunrise." Lancelot laughed again. "Will you stop laughing at me!" She turned her head and looked into the Knights eyes. "Do you remember what happened to us Lancelot?" The dark haired Knight grinned slightly.

"Of course I do! Do you think that I would have you in my bed and not remember it?" Amelia laughed slightly. Lancelot remained silent and Amelia was becoming aggravated.

"Are you not going to tell me?"

"Lancelot!" A loud voice boomed from the corridor outside. Amelia sat up quickly.

"I have to go!" She said quickly. She pulled the covers back but Lancelot caught her around the waist.

"Why?" He asked gently.

"Because I do not wish people to see us together."

"Are you ashamed?"

"I am ashamed of what I do not remember." She rubbed her head quickly. "And my head hurts."

Both heads turned quickly as the door bust open.

"Lancelot!" Tristan shouted as he walked into the room unaware that Amelia and Lancelot were together. "Amelia is not in her room, have you seen…" He stopped as he looked at Amelia sat on the bed, naked. She jumped quickly and wrapped the bed covers around her body. Lancelot lay next to her, a slight grin on his face.

"How can I help you Tristan?" Amelia asked as she blushed. She looked across to the scout and he recognised the look of worry in her eyes. The scout swallowed quickly dismissing the thoughts to swipe the smug look off Lancelot's face.

"Arthur wishes to see you." Amelia swallowed slightly before she nodded.

"Alright Tristan, I will meet him in the table room." Tristan nodded before he turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Amelia immediately turned her eyes to Lancelot who was looking up at her with a smile on his face.

"I wish that you would stop smiling at me." She said sternly. Lancelot laughed again but after an angry look his face became placid. "I have to get dressed." Lancelot caught her around the waist and held her close.

"Stay for a while." Amelia laughed slightly.

"You know that I cannot, I have to meet Arthur." Lancelot sighed.

"Go, but I shall miss your company." His jokes did make Amelia laugh but her headache seemed to make them worse than usual. She smiled slightly at the Knight before she planted a gentle kiss on his forehead. His hand crept behind her neck slightly and when she pulled away he held her face close to his own.

"I am sorry Amelia." He confessed.

"What are you sorry for?" She asked as she smiled.

"This." He placed his lips roughly against her own and for a moment Amelia thought about pulling away but she did not. Would this be a regret? He pushed her back into the pillows and kissed her passionately. Amelia lay for a moment before she remembered that she did have to dress. She placed her hands on his chest before pushing him forcefully off the bed. He landed with a thump on the floor and Amelia could do nothing but laugh.

"I told you that I have to dress." She said as she looked down at him. She got out of bed quickly and stared dressing as Lancelot recovered.

"Are you not going to tell me what we did in this room Lancelot? Why was I in your bed?" Amelia asked as she pulled on her breeches. Lancelot lay on the bed quietly and crossed his arms over his chest, he remained silent. Amelia sighed as she pulled on her shirt.

"Is that a no?" She asked.

"Of course it is, you will remember eventually." Amelia shook her head silently before she picked up her weapons and walked out of the room.

As she closed the door behind her she looked down the corridor to see Gawain looking at her, could her day possibly get any worse? She walked down the corridor slowly toward Gawain and the table room.

"What were you doing with Lancelot at this time of morning." Gawain said. "Did he not have one of his women with him?" Amelia laughed.

"No he did not have a woman with him."

"Why is that I wonder?" Gawain asked as he laughed.

"Ask him yourself." And at this Amelia walked off in the direction of the table room.

When Amelia walked into the room Arthur and Tristan were waiting for her.

"I am sorry Arthur, I was in bed." Amelia said before she nodded.

"There is no need to apologise Amelia. Lancelot is well this morning I think?" Amelia looked at the commander in amazement before looking to the scout. "It was not Tristan who told me, I saw you go there this morning. Took Lancelot a while to walk you actually. It was rather amusing to watch." Amelia blushed.

"I do not think that we are here to discuss my drunken actions." Amelia said as she laughed slightly.

"Very true. My apologies." Arthur said as he bowed his head. Amelia nodded to him. "You and Tristan are to leave on a scouting mission to the East. You are both to ensure that Saxon forces have been reduced by Romans and Woads. There is a small fort at the East. You will call and ensure that everything is well. Do you both understand?"

"Yes Arthur." Tristan said.

"Yes." Amelia added.

"Good, you leave in an hour." Amelia nodded and stood. She looked across at Tristan but his black eyes were diverted, he was shutting her out for what he had seen?

Amelia swallowed quickly before she left the room.

She pulled together the things that she needed in her room and was just about to leave the room when there was a knock at the door. She sighed quickly and shouted for them to enter. The door slowly opened to allow Lancelot to enter.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"A mission." Lancelot nodded to her.

"Are you going with Tristan?" Amelia nodded. "And when are you to return?"

"I do not know." Amelia looked into Lancelot's eyes quickly. "Why do you ask?"

"Do you think that there could be anything between us Amelia?" She swallowed quickly.

"A relationship!" She laughed slightly. "I do not know Lancelot."

"Why do you not know? You must know." Amelia looked to the floor.

"I would Lancelot, but there is one thing that holds me back."

"What is that?" She picked up her belongings quickly and walked toward the open door.

"It is the fact that I do not know if I would be able to trust you. I would always be afraid that you would deceive me Lancelot." She walked out of the door and turned to look at him. "Goodbye." She stood waiting for a reply but when none came she walked away. Was it possible that she just broke his heart? Does Lancelot have a heart to break?

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

As the two horses charged from the wall many people stood at the top of the wall gazing out wondering where they were going, one man stood at the top looking at the first woman who had ever refused him. He looked out at her form as she got further and further away and hoped deep inside that she would return.

After a day of travelling there was still silence between the two riders. Amelia had tried to hold a conversation with the scout but it seemed that he did not wish to talk to her. He had scarcely spoken three words together apart from the necessities.

"Why will you not speak to me Tristan?" She asked the mysterious man. He looked at her for a moment before looking away.

"Tristan!" The scout turned to her again, a look of disgust on his face.

"Because you sunk as low as to enter his bed! Your stupidity placed you right where he wanted you. Gawain even bet to say that he would be the first to have you, and you gave in to him. Gawain was right, you will be just like all of his other whores!" Amelia looked away to the North as slight tears rolled down her face.

"He did not have me."


	21. The Fort

The Fort – Chapter 21

Amelia and Tristan sat on the horizon in silence looking at the fort in the distance. It was much smaller than what they were used to It seemed to Amelia to only hold up to sixty people at maximum, a very low capacity for the Romans at least.

"What information do we need from here Tristan?" She asked the scout.

"We only need to know if there has been any Saxon movement in these parts." Amelia nodded. Over the course of the journey to the fort the scout had placed his anger and perhaps jealousy behind him and forgiven Amelia. He still may not forgive her as a person but he felt that he could not say angry with her, he had to work with her. He was angry with himself for the things he said to her, she did not deserve to be spoken to like that. He was disgusted with himself for saying that she would be one of Lancelot's whores, for he knew that Amelia would never sink so low.

"Shall we spend the night here?" She asked.

"If the mercenaries are hospitable, yes."

"I am sure that you could find some woman to give you a room for the night." Tristan laughed.

"That would be difficult considering that there are no women here. This is a fort controlled by men only, Romans actually." Amelia laughed.

"Men with nothing to satisfy there needs." Tristan smiled.

"There is a village further to the East but the men do not get much leave. I am surprised that Arthur allowed you to come." The Scout confessed.

"And why is that?" She smiled at the scout slightly.

"There are a lot of sexually frustrated men here. It will be dangerous for you." Amelia laughed.

"Tristan, you must know by now that I live for danger!" The scout laughed before kicking his horse into motion. Amelia followed quickly.

When the Knights arrived at the fort they were greeted by a locked gate and a strong male voice.

"Who are you? What is your business here?"

"We are Samartian Knights sent by Arthur Castus." Tristan shouted. "Open the gate!" There was silence for a moment before the gates creaked open. The Knights quickly rode inside and stopped in a small courtyard.

Amelia looked up to the battlements to see at least twenty mercenaries staring down at them. She swallowed quickly before dismounting onto the muddy ground below. Two mercenaries walked over quickly and held the horses as a tall man in roman attire walked over to them. He stopped in front of Tristan and ignored Amelia, had he even seen her?

"I am General Augustus of the Roman Army, based here in Britain. How may I be of service to the Knights of Arthur?"

"We have been sent by Arthur to ask you about the Saxons."

"The Saxons have never been seen here. It is rather quiet in the East."

"You have never seen any Saxons?" Amelia asked. The General looked at her quickly.

"Women should learn to keep their mouths shut, especially when talking to me!" Amelia walked up to him quickly and smiled.

"I am no ordinary woman." She looked to Tristan quickly. "I will go and inspect the battlements." Tristan nodded to her before she turned and walked away.

**Amelia's POV**

Stupid man! Who the hell does he think he is, 'women should keep their mouths shut'. I should have cut his bloody head off!

I slowly walked up the steps to the battlements and looked out across the land. I turned and looked across the battlements where mercenaries stood. Something was wrong. I walked slowly passing each one of the soldiers until I came to a corner. Laid in the corner of the battlements was a mercenary asleep.

"Who is in charge here?" I asked the soldiers. One man stood forward.

"He is." He pointed to the man who was asleep. I turned quickly and kicked the man in the leg, he slept on. I was becoming angry, no wonder no Saxons were being seen when the commanders were sleeping on watch. I bent down quickly and grabbed the man's shirt, pulling him up. His eyes opened quickly as I pushed him against the wall. I drew one of my swords and pointed it against his throat.

"Finally!" I said in anger. "I have your attention!" The man did nothing but stare at me. "Are you supposed to be on duty?" The man swallowed quickly.

"No, I am relieved of duty today." I pushed my sword closer to his neck.

"Do not lie!"

"Alright! I closed my eyes for a few minutes." Amelia smiled slightly.

"That was not too hard was it, to tell the truth?" He placed his head down. I pushed him away from the wall quickly and pointed my sword at him. "We are going to see your commander." I said to him. "Walk." The man stood still.

"Please," He said. "You are a woman, you should have sympathy?" I laughed.

"I hold no sympathy for you. You deserve any punishment that you receive!" He stared to walk quickly and I frowned. It was no wonder that no Saxons were seen, their commanders were asleep!

When we walked back into the courtyard I saw that Tristan and the General were still talking. Tristan saw me straight away and started walking over.

"What is wrong?" Tristan asked me. I smiled.

"It is no wonder that no Saxons are seen." I whispered to him. "The commanders are asleep." Tristan looked shocked but followed me as I walked toward the General.

"What is this?" The General asked in anger. I smiled at him slightly as I pushed the man in front of me to his knees.

"This man under your command was sleeping on duty. I am sure that he can see many Saxons." The General looked down at one of his officers.

"Is this true?" He asked the man.

"Of course it is not, she is a woman, she lies!" I laughed before I pushed my sword into the back of his neck, I would hurt him until he told the truth. The man cried out.

"Yes! It is true!" I looked up at the General quickly.

"I should report you," I said. "For not conducting your duty properly." I sighed quickly. "But I do not think that that is necessary." The General sighed.

"Thank you." He called two mercenaries over. "Take him away." The man was dragged away begging for forgiveness.

"Watch your men thoroughly." I warned the General. "If you do not they will deceive you!" The General nodded.

We were shown to rooms for the night and as I sat peacefully looking out to the East there was a knock on the door. I stood up quickly and walked over to the door. I opened it quickly and saw the General stood in front of me. He looked at my hair quickly which was loose down my back and then to my shoulders which were not covered by the shirt.

"May I come in?" He asked. "I wish to speak to you." I swallowed quickly before I opened the door further to allow him to enter. I closed the door behind him and walked over to where he stood in the middle of the room.

"How can I help you sir?" I asked him. He looked up at me.

"I wanted to thank you for your help earlier today, I am indebted to you."

"You have already thanked me once, you do not have to do it again." He nodded.

"Very well." He walked closer to me. "How is it that you are a Knight?" I looked to the floor.

"A punishment." I said. "For insubordination." He nodded.

"I have never seen a woman as a Knight, it is quite unheard of." He placed his hand on my cheek quickly but I pulled away.

"Please, do not touch me."

"Do you know how long it has been since I have seen a woman?" He asked. I looked up at him. "Especially one as beautiful as you."

"Please do not say such things." I stared to walk away but he caught my arm and pushed me against the wall. I cried out. I placed my hand behind my back to reach for a sword but found that they were not there. Across the room in a pile lay all of my swords and daggers, I had nothing to defend myself. I suddenly felt his breath on my ear.

"Do you know how long it has been since I have had a woman's flesh beneath me?" I looked away from him. "I think I have waited far too long!" He pulled me away from the wall quickly, holding my wrists and pushed me forcefully onto the bed.

"Please! Do not do this!" I struggled but he was far too strong. He took both of my wrists in one of his hands and pushed them forcefully into the bed. As I lay screaming his hand traced the outline of my body. I needed someone to help me, Tristan had been placed so far away from me and now I knew why. The scout had warned me to be careful and I had been stupid. I had placed myself right where the General wanted me and as I lay on the bed fully clothed memories of the woads came flooding back.

Would there be anyone to save me this time, or would I go through the same ordeal?


	22. Rescue me!

**WARNING: This chapter contains scenes of a sexual nature: If you don't like it, don't read it!**

Rescue me – Chapter 22

**Amelia's POV**

My mind went blank as soon as the disgusting Roman above me ripped my shirt open. My mind wandered to thoughts of my sister and mother, how ashamed they would be if they saw me now. They would be disgusted to see the young woman I have become, they would dismiss me immediately and see the flaws that I have developed. The flaws which deep inside I no longer wished to possess, I did not wish to be a killer, and I no longer wanted to be the vicious lover. As memories overcame me I lay perfectly still hoping and wishing for it to be over quickly, I had given up hope of rescue. My hopes of rescue lay with a scout that was somewhere else unable to hear my screams and protests.

"This is what you want isn't it you little whore, this is why you were brought here, to please me!" I heard the Roman's voice in my ear before his lips trailed down my neck. I remained silent. He was not worth the protest, I stopped struggling immediately as the words exited his mouth. Was I a whore? Was I sent here by Arthur as a present to this man? I was a whore, what else could I be as a woman?

I suddenly clicked back into reality and looked up at the man on top of me, still fully dressed. He looked down at me for a moment before I spat in his face. He looked away for a moment before he slapped me forcefully across the face. I cried out.

"Do me a favour." I said to him when I finally found my voice. "You may take me against my will but when you are done kill me for I could not live with the aspect of having you inside of me!" He grinned at my comment.

"No. I have a better occupation for you." He said before kissing my neck. "We will get rid of that Knight you are with and then you can stay alive until I am sick of you. Then you can die. Then you will be worthy of death." I started to panic.

"Please, anything but that. Kill me but please do not keep me for your own enjoyment." He pulled my breeches down quickly and I panicked and struggled against him. He quickly pinned my body with his weight so I could not move. I was frightened, he was going to take me against my will. I did not wish to go through this again. "Mother!" I said in my thoughts. "Please help me!"

The Roman had just released his own body from his breeches when a strong hand gripped his shirt and pulled him off me. I sat up quickly, covering my body and looked into the eyes of Tristan. He immediately saw the panic and pain on my face and turned to the Roman. He pushed him to the floor quickly and kicked him repeatedly.

I pulled my clothes around me quickly as Tristan took his anger out on the Roman. I stood up quickly and rushed over to the scout, I grabbed him by the arm quickly.

"Tristan!" I said to him. The scout looked up at me and for a moment I saw the anger in his eyes, for the first time, he frightened me. "Leave him." Tristan picked the General off the floor quickly and quite literally threw him out of the room. I stood still and for a moment my legs seemed not to work, I looked up at the scout for a moment before I fell to my knees, tears overcoming me.

"You are right Tristan, I am so stupid!" I said through tears. I looked to his boots as he stood next to me.

"You should not say such things, I was wrong to say them to you and I regret them." He knelt down next to me quickly and looked into my eyes.

"Oh, Tristan, I was so frightened. It reminded me of the Woads!" I placed my head on his shoulder and he held me close as I cried.

"Did it bring back all those memories from such a time ago?" He asked. I nodded silently. "I am sorry that I was not here." I shook my head.

"No Tristan, do not apologise, of you did not come I would have been…"

"Do not speak of such things." He interrupted.

"Do you know Tristan, it has made me realise the importance of life and the people in it." I looked up into the dark eyes of Tristan and for a moment I felt like kissing him. I looked away quickly. "I have realised that I no longer hold anger for the woads, it hold it more for Romans than anything. But is it wrong to hate your own kind?" Tristan looked at me for a moment in puzzlement.

"What do you mean Amelia?" I swallowed.

"I am half Roman Tristan. And how ashamed I am of it, I am ashamed that I was born into such a generation."

"It is not wrong to hate the Romans Amelia. Quite a few people do. I suppose that it is like me in a way, I hate all Sarmatians because they forced us into servitude with their vow. It is the same as you hating Romans, you have nothing to be ashamed of."

"Can we leave here Tristan." The scout smiled slightly.

"I was going to say the same thing Amelia, come. Collect your weapons." I nodded before I stood up and collected them. I turned to see Tristan leaving.

"Tristan." The scout turned. "Please, do not leave me." He smiled.

"I was checking the corridor, I had no intention of leaving you." I smiled.

"Thank you."

**Tristan's POV**

I would never leave you Amelia. What would make her thing such a thing? Surely she should be aware of my feelings, I never want to leave her. But what shall we tell Arthur, do I really need to tell him the truth? No, I shall give her the choice to tell him. It is her problem, it is not my position to tell the commander.

We were allowed to leave with no hassle, nothing was said and the General was nowhere to be seen. I was pleased I did not think that Amelia could survive being nearly raped and then have to fight. I just did not think that she was strong enough, we had to get her to the Wall.

**Normal POV**

When the two horses stopped in the courtyard of the wall all of the Knights were assembled, as they looked up to the two riders they all saw that something was wrong, Tristan seemed to avert his eyes a lot more than usual and Amelia seemed to be very distant. Tristan immediately jumped from his horse.

"All is quiet Arthur." He said to the commander. Arthur nodded before looking up at Amelia.

"Are you well Amelia?" Arthur asked. Amelia nodded her head before jumping to the floor and leading her horse to the stables.

Walking to her room she had a few encounters with the Knights who all enquired after her health and as soon as she closed her chamber door behind herself she sighed. She stood still for a moment before she started crying again. As she collapsed onto the bed she buried her head into the pillow until a hand rested on her shoulder. She looked up quickly to the eyes of Arthur. Lancelot stood behind him in a defensive manner.

"Amelia what makes you weep?" Arthur asked but Amelia looked back to her pillows. "Is it Tristan?"

"No!" She said quickly. It was at this that she looked up to Lancelot sorrow in her eyes. "Do you think me a whore Lancelot?" The dark haired knight was shocked by the question but shook his head.

"No Amelia I do not. If this has anything to do with the other morning then it will please you to know that we did nothing." Amelia nodded slightly but still stared at him.

"It has nothing to do with you Lancelot. I promise you."

"Then what did happen Amelia?" Arthur asked.

"I am ashamed Arthur." She said.

"About what?" She swallowed quickly.

"I am ashamed of myself." Arthur's eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

"Ashamed of yourself, Amelia why?" Lancelot asked.

"Tristan will be able to inform you of the details. At the moment in time I wish to forget."

"Did something happen at the fort?" Arthur asked.

"I am sorry Arthur." She said before she turned away.

"Will you not talk of what happened? Was it the fort? Did they treat you badly?" She said nothing but Arthur saw a small tear develop in her eye.

"I do not wish to speak of it, not to anyone! Tomorrow is a new day, all shall be well." Arthur nodded.

"I agree with you Amelia, tomorrow is a new day. I will leave you now."

"Thank you Arthur." Arthur walked to the door and Lancelot followed.

"Lancelot!" Amelia said. The Knight turned quickly and looked at the woman who lay on the bed.

"Yes Amelia."

"May I speak with you?" The Knight closed the door as Amelia stood up and walked over to him.

"Of course."

"I have realised the importance of life and the people who are in it." Lancelot looked puzzled. Amelia gently placed her hand on his cheek. "You are one of those people." His eyes met hers quickly and for a moment he was unsure of what to say.

"What do you mean?" He asked finally.

"I am sorry for the things I said to you, they were wrong. I did not mean to harm you." He shook his head.

"I will recover Amelia." She smiled slightly.

"But will you recover with me at your side?" His mouth opened slightly in shock.

"How can this be?" He asked. "I thought you could not trust me?" Amelia placed a finger on his lips to silence him before she placed her lips against his in the most heated kiss she had ever experienced.


	23. We live by the sword and die by it

We live by the sword and die by it – Chapter 23

Amelia opened her eyes slowly and blinked at the brightness of the sun. She sighed slightly before cuddling into the warmth next to her. She smiled slightly as she looked up to the sleeping form of Lancelot. He had not betrayed her yet and it had been over a month since they had been together. Lancelot understood that she was raped by woads and insisted that he would only make love to her when she was ready - that time had not come yet. Instead they lay in each others arms kissing and embracing, they never mentioned anything of taking their relationship further, that time would surely come later. Amelia did occasionally see that Lancelot was becoming frustrated but he never took another woman, he did not wish to betray Amelia.

To Tristan, the relationship was ridiculous, they were two opposite people with so many differences that Lancelot was sure to break her heart. But he would be there waiting when she broke. He did not wish Amelia to be harmed but in some way she had to understand that Lancelot loved being with women and he would not last without them. After the "accident" in the fort Tristan was sure of his feelings for her and for a moment when she looked into his eyes he thought he saw the same, but he was mistaken. He would wait for her, he would always wait for her to come running, longing to be held…for he knew that day would soon come.

Amelia sat up from bed quickly and swung her feet to the ground but feeling a hand slip around her body she laughed.

"Stay in bed." Lancelot whispered in her ear. She laughed slightly.

"We cannot, we have a meeting in the table room. Did you forget?" He collapsed back into his pillows.

"Of course I did not." He said as he laughed. Amelia stood up quickly and pulled her shirt over her naked body, feeling Lancelot's eyes on her.

When she was fully dressed she found her weapons and looked back to Lancelot who still lay in bed.

"We will be waiting for you." She walked over to him quickly.

"I know you will." Their lips gently met in a heated kiss but when Amelia pulled away he sighed.

"Why will you not stay in bed?" He asked as he grabbed her wrist tightly.

"Because I refuse to be late Lancelot, unlike you." She smiled at him before he pulled her forcefully onto the bed.

**Amelia's POV**

I did wish to give myself to him to complete our relationship but I was frightened, if I did give myself to him would he leave me, would I be alone again? I was so afraid that he would treat me as the woads did.

As I lay on the bed fully clothed with him on top of me, looking down at me I longed for him to touch me. At that moment I would have given myself to him but as I looked into his eyes I saw the passion and love in them, he would not hurt me, he would never betray me.

"I will not hurt you." He whispered before kissing my neck. His hand slowly traced the inside of my breeches and for a moment I wanted to cry out and say yes. I quickly snapped back to reality and looked into his eyes. I kissed him slowly.

"Later." Was all I said before he grinned. He released me from his grip and I slid off the bed, smiling as I walked from the room.

We sat patiently in the table waiting for - non other than - Lancelot. There was silence between the Knights, most of them were recovering from the amount of alcohol they consumed last night and the others did not wish to speak.

I sat silently looking about the room for a moment before I was disturbed by footsteps. I looked up to see Lancelot sit beside me, a grin on his face.

"Forgive me Arthur, I was distracted." Lancelot said. The commander smiled slightly before nodding his head.

"A small Saxon army has moved into Roman territory. I received a note from Merlin informing me that he had killed a number of them but some still remain. They have moved into Roman territory and burnt a village."

"How many are there?" Gawain asked.

"Merlin said that around fifteen remain. But those fifteen Saxons may still cause damage, unnecessary damage."

"Does Merlin know who they are led by?" Arthur shook his head slightly.

"No, we know no other information apart from what I have just told you."

"What do we have to do?" I asked.

"I am unsure. I think that for all of us to kill them would be too dangerous. Merlin said they are remarkable marksmen."

"Why do we not use the element of surprise?" Galahad asked. Arthur shook his head.

"Why do we not place someone with the Saxons, kill them from the inside." Tristan said.

"You mean a spy?" Lancelot asked.

"Yes." Tristan said. "We can gather information from them before we kill them. It may help us in the future." Arthur nodded.

"Perhaps." The commander said. "We would need someone who would go unnoticed."

"But to send any man to the Saxons would be suicide, they would surely die!" Lancelot said.

"I was not thinking of a man." Tristan said. I looked up at him quickly and saw that he was staring directly at me. I swallowed.

"You were thinking of Amelia?" Bors asked.

"Of course," Tristan added. "She would go unnoticed. She could pose as a prostitute, I am sure that she would become it well." I snarled at the insult.

"Tristan," Arthur said. "Keep your insults to yourself. Amelia," I looked up as Arthur said my name.

"Yes?"

"Come with me." Arthur stood quickly before he walked out of the room.

I followed him silently along the corridors until I walked into his quarters. I stood silently in the middle of the room as he looked at me.

"You know what danger I am placing you in Amelia?" I nodded. "And you know that you can refuse?"

"I know that."

"All I am asking you to do is to mix with the Saxons and kill them one by one. Try to get information from them but it is not essential. Would you accept the challenge?" I smiled slightly.

"I live for a challenge." He laughed slightly.

"Find a dress, it will help your disguise." I nodded slightly and turned to leave the room. "Amelia." I turned to look at him quickly.

"Yes?"

"Do not let the Saxons claim you, do not do anything against your will." I nodded slightly.

"Arthur," He nodded. "Do not inform the Knights that I have accepted the challenge, at least until I have left."

"Not even Lancelot?" I shook my head. "Very well." I left the room slowly and walked along to my room. I could not pretend that I was not frightened.

As I left the stables on my horse I looked across at the people in the tavern and saw Vanora. Would I ever see them again?

"Amelia." I looked down from my horse to the man who had spoke.

"What is it Tristan?"

"I apologise for insulting you, it was not meant."

"Yes it was Tristan, you meant every word."

"No I did not, you are not a whore. I was wrong to accuse you of such a thing." I nodded.

"That you were, for I have not given myself to him as you think."

"You have not given yourself to Lancelot?" He asked in shock.

"Like you said, I am not a whore." I kicked my heels into my horse's flanks quickly.

"Good luck Amelia." I heard him say.

I rode for at least two days through rain and wind to reach my destination. The dress I had borrowed clung around my chest tightly and the female cloak stopped none of the wind. I shivered slightly as I sat on the horse in a polite side-saddle.

On the early morning of the third day I saw the Saxon army marching along a road in the distance, Merlin was right, there were very few survivors. I quickly pushed my horse onwards in a quick gallop until I was ahead of the Saxons. I pulled my horse to a stop at the side of the road and waited. My breathing rate increased as the Saxons got closer to me and as I kicked my horse onto the road I could hardly breathe. I quickly pulled my horse to a stop in the middle of the road and looked up at the Saxons who stood less than twenty paces away. I swallowed slightly as they all raised arrows to me.

"Stay where you are!" A man shouted. I kept my horse still and watched as the Saxons approached. I looked away as they all surrounded me arrows pointing. Then the question came to my head: were they going to kill me?


	24. Slaughtering Saxons and betrayal

Slaughtering Saxons and Betrayal – Chapter 24

**Amelia's POV**

I quickly looked down at the Saxons as I sat uncomfortably on my horse. My light brown hair which I had allowed to cascade down my back was blowing slightly under the hood of my cloak. I did not wish to confess to myself that I was frightened - but I was. I had to convince them that I was not a threat, then they would not kill me.

"Get down from your horse." A Saxon said to me. I swallowed quickly before pushing my foot from the stirrup and jumping to the floor. The Saxon who spoke to me immediately marched over to me and pulled my hood down. I kept my eyes to the floor for a moment before looking up. The warrior who stood before me wore the simplest battle gear possible - it would be too easy to kill these men.

"What is your name?" He asked.

"Arabella sir." I answered.

"Hmm. I am Franklin, the leader of these men. What is your business here? Why do you ride alone?" I swallowed quickly.

"I am travelling to a relations home in the West. It is too dangerous to travel with a companion, with Saxons roaming the land. I would be killed instantly if I rode with a bodyguard."

"Who said that you would not be killed for travelling alone?" I swallowed quickly.

"That is your choice sir."

"That it is." He quickly examined my face, sighing. My heart was racing as he took my chin in his hand.

"You are far too beautiful to kill. I will be rewarded from my commander for taking you safely to him. You will be a good prize for his son Cynric."

"Please, allow me to continue on my travels. I will not inform anyone of my seeing you." Franklin laughed quickly.

"No, that is not possible. As I said my commander will be pleased to keep you. You will keep his son's bed warm for a while, until he is sick of you that is."

"Do I have a choice?" I asked him.

"Of course not. You are our prisoner." I allowed a small tear to escape my eye. Franklin quickly turned to his second in command. "Tie her hands."

"There is no need sir." I said anxiously. "I carry no weapons, I am no threat to you." He was silent for a moment before he nodded. "Make Camp!" He shouted before turning to me. "We have not slept for a few days, we shall stop for a while. A few men will guard you, the rules of our custom." I nodded slightly.

A few hours later I sat on the dry ground of the forest, many of the Saxons were sleeping as two or three stood guarding the entrance to the camp. Far across the camp a makeshift tent had been made out of trees and leaves for Franklin. I would make sure that he was one of the last to die. I looked up at the two Saxons who stood beside me before I stood up and removed my cloak. I saw their eyes immediately move to me, it must have been months since they had seen a woman. I started to walk away from them but one caught my arm.

"Where do you think you are going?" He asked angrily.

"I have a call of nature. You must excuse me."

"We must come." I sighed quickly before walking off into some trees. In the daylight I could easily make my way through the bushes and twigs. I laughed occasionally as one of the Saxons behind me tripped. When I thought that we had come far enough I stopped and turned to the Saxons.

"You can turn your back." I said to them, surprisingly they complied. I squatted down quickly pretending to be relieving myself but instead I untied two small daggers from my legs. I held the daggers tightly in my hands as I stood and silently crept over to the Saxons. As I drove my blades through their backs, piercing their hearts, they made no noise. As I walked away the two dead bodies lay on the muddy floor, their eyes wide, looking up to the sky.

There were at least thirteen Saxons left in the camp after the two I killed and as I walked into the camp I watched for a second as at least nine of them slept. I smiled quickly taking in the pleasure of killing without mercy. As I walked past each one of the sleeping Saxons I placed a hand over their mouths before slitting their throats with the other.

After a short while I looked around at the dead bodies and smiled, next I was killing Franklin the guards who watched the entrance would die after.

I immediately walked over to the makeshift tent and walked in. The daylight shone brightly into it illuminating the commander lying on the floor.

"What do you want?" He asked.

"I wanted to tell you something." I said.

"And what is that?"

"I do not think your commander will appreciate you taking a woman back to him who has already been used." He sat up quickly.

"You have been used by a man?"

"Of course. I lied to you. I am a prostitute from Badon Hill. I satisfy the great Knights of the Round Table." He stood up quickly and looked me in the eye. I gripped my dagger tightly behind my back.

"Are you lying again?" I laughed at his question.

"Yes I am. Do you really wish to know what I am?" He said nothing. "I am one of Arthur's Knights, sent to kill you and your men."

"You lie!"

"But I am not going to kill you, I am going to injure you to allow to crawl back to your commander and his son. But you have to give him a message for me." He still remained silent. "You have to tell him that Amelia will be awaiting his arrival in Britain with great anticipation. Arthur and the Knights will also be sitting at my side. Along with your commander I will ensure that his son never has another woman in his bed. Is that understood?" Franklin nodded quickly. I quickly pulled the dagger from behind my back and stabbed him through the leg. On contact he cried out and collapsed onto the floor. He rolled from side to side holding his leg in pain.

"I hope Franklin that you will learn your lesson. Never underestimate a woman, they could be your downfall." He cried out again before I walked out of the tent. I had almost fulfilled my duty and as I walked to my horse I smiled.

I immediately cried out as a pain shot through my side, looking down I saw blood seeping through the dress and an arrow lying on the ground. I looked up in anger quickly at the Saxon who stood at the entrance to the forest. I quickly took my dagger and threw it with such force that it hit the Saxon in the throat and protruded from the back. I cried out in pain as my ribs felt on fire - I had to get to Badon Hill. I weakly got on my horse and drew my dagger. I would finish the job, I would not leave it unfinished. There were two left, and they would die, they would die for the pain that they had given me. I kicked my horse into action and as I came out of the entrance of the forest I slit both remaining Saxons throats. The happiness which overcame me at that point was unbearable, I had to cry out. I had fulfilled my duty as a Knight and slaughtered the Saxons, as ordered to.

My horse ran as possible until we arrived at the hill overlooking the home of the Knights, I smiled immediately for I was home again. The deep cut in my side was making me feel nauseous and faint but I ignored it and rode on. The darkness which surrounded Badon Hill was surprising, as I raced to the gates torches were illuminated and light was escaping from the fort.

In the courtyard, none of the Knights arrived to greet me, instead I was alone. There was a surprising silence about the fort, was it really that late?

I placed my horse in the stables quickly and holding my side rushed to the fort to Lancelot. I was so happy to see him again and as I pushed open his door uninvited I rushed in.

"Lancelot…" I stopped quickly looking at the naked form of the Knight in bed - but he was not sleeping. Tucked under his arm laid a blonde barmaid, snuggled into his chest. My mouth immediately opened and as Lancelot pushed the girl away he could not hide it.

"Amelia! Gods you are home quick." Lancelot said.

"Are you having fun?" I asked sarcastically.

"It was done in drunkenness Amelia, nothing matters."

"That is not what you told me last night." The blonde girl said in aggravation. "Or the night before." I could have cried.

"Good evening Lancelot, enjoy your whore." I said as I turned and walked toward the door. I only stopped when a hand enclosed around my arm. I looked up into the eyes of Lancelot.

"Please Amelia." He pleaded.

"I said I could not trust you Lancelot. But I gave you a chance!"

"Please Amelia, do not leave me."

"You betrayed me Lancelot!" I pulled my arm from his grip quickly and walked from the room.

As I walked down the corridor I could think of nothing apart from what the assassin Kate had told me: _If you are not betrayed by another Roman you will be by a Samartian. _


	25. It is but a scratch

It is but a scratch – Chapter 25

Amelia walked along the silent corridors holding her side in pain, tears falling down her face. Why did she pretend that she could trust him? It was impossible to trust a man like Lancelot, she was yet again as Tristan had said, stupid. She cried out quickly from the pain not only in her side but also in her heart. She pulled her hand away from her wound quickly and examined the blood which stained her fingers and palm. She stopped walking quickly and fell against the wall, seeing that unconsciousness was soon going to take her. She looked to the floor quickly wanting to remain awake - she had to stay awake until she found Dagonet.

"Amelia." A soft voice whispered. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head quickly before they focused on the man stood before her. "Amelia." He repeated. "You are wounded." The dark haired Knight seemed worried but as the young woman's eyes met his he saw the fear in them and the pain.

"It is nothing Tristan," She muttered. "It is but a scratch." As she lost her balance slightly the scout caught her in his arms, lifting her gently and pushing his way into his room.

"How did this happen?" He asked as he placed her on his bed. "How did you get the wound?" Tears poured freely down her face before she cried out in pain. Her eyes met his and she sighed.

"Do you mean the wound on my heart or my side Tristan?" The scout's eyes met the floor.

"You found Lancelot then?" He asked. She nodded but remained silent.

"And his whore."

"I am sorry."

"You need not be sorry Tristan, you were right. You told me he would betray me and he did. It is no ones fault but my own."

"May I look at your side?" She nodded before he ripped her dress open and pulled it down to her waist. She did not care that she was exposed in front of him, she could trust him. Tristan would never do anything to harm her. He pressed the wound quickly resulting in her loud cries of pain.

"This is quite deep. Did the arrow enter your skin?" She shook her head quickly.

"No. It sliced my side, bastard Saxons."

"Did you ride like this?" She nodded. "You should have stopped and had it treated." She laughed slightly.

"I was travelling alone Tristan, I had no one to help me." There was silence for a moment.

"I wanted to come with you, to kill the Saxons." He said quickly.

"We would have both been killed Tristan. Arthur did not wish to loose two of his Knights in one day."

"Did you succeed in your mission?" She smiled slightly despite his fingers attacking her wound.

"Of course I did."

"Good." There was silence once again. "This will need to be stitched." Amelia swallowed quickly.

"Will you do it for me?" Tristan nodded slightly before going to collect the things he needed.

As Tristan sat and heated the needle in the flame of a candle he watched her carefully. She was in pain as the wound was deep and every breath she took was short and raspy. The night would prove how strong she was, if she made it through the night she would survive.

"This will hurt Amelia. You know that don't you?"

"Yes, I know."

"I will be as quick as I can." He placed his left hand firmly on her stomach in case he needed to hold her down and held the needle tightly in the other. "Are you ready?" She nodded quickly before the needle pierced her skin. Every scream that irrupted from the small, innocent woman pierced Tristan's heart. He despised the fact that he had to hurt her but after three stitches she was struggling. He held her firmly to the bed, showing that he was not giving up. Her eyes met his in a plea of mercy but he would not stop, he had to put the stitches in or she would surely bleed to death.

"Please Tristan stop, give me a moment." At the sound of her voice he stopped and looked up to her face and her beautiful eyes.

"If I stop, you will never allow me to finish. If I place three more stitches in that should be enough to hold it. Will you allow me to do that or will you force me to." She swallowed quickly and Tristan saw the different emotions flood her face.

"I will not stop you." He nodded quickly before resuming his stitches. Tristan noticed that as he placed the remaining stitches in her side she kept her lips pushed firmly together but she remained silent. As he threw the needle on the floor symbolising that he had finished she sighed before looking down to his hand. It rested gently on her stomach holding her to the bed. The sweat which covered her body made it look more shiny and radiant than ever. Tristan stared at her stomach quickly rubbing his hand over it slightly before he snapped out of his trance. He stood up quickly and walked to the window.

"You should bathe." He said. "To remove the blood and dirt from your skin. It could cause an infection." She nodded silently.

"Thank you Tristan."

"You should stay in bed, to let it heal."

"How long will it be this painful?" She asked as she sat up, holding her wound tightly.

"For a few days." She nodded. "Come, I will help you to your room."

"Thank you Tristan, for rescuing me." He smiled quickly.

"I did not rescue you. I simply found you on the corridor and tended to your wounds." She nodded as he walked over and helped her to her feet.

"How did you kill them?" Tristan asked as they walked along the corridors.

"The Saxons?" He nodded. "I slit their throats, every one of them."

"How did you manage that, with so little privacy?"

"It was light so I did have very little privacy but it was my luck that they wished to stop to make camp."

"That was certainly to your advantage. Did you gather any information?" She nodded.

"The Saxon leader is a man called Cerdic, his son, Cynric also commands a battalion."

"I have never heard of a man called Cerdic. But it may be of use to Arthur. Did you get anything else?"

"No. I am sorry. That is all I have." Tristan smiled at her.

"It is better than nothing Amelia. Well done, you succeeded in your mission. Arthur will be proud." Amelia laughed.

"Perhaps he will."

"The other Knights were annoyed to hear that you had taken this mission." Tristan said.

"I thought that they would be, that is why I asked Arthur not to tell them until I had left."

"That was the best thing to do. I am proud of you." Amelia blushed.

"Do not say such things Tristan."

"I mean them. When you arrived here I thought that you would not survive, you were so frail. But I was wrong. I have also been wrong in other things since your arrival, like, calling you stupid. You are not stupid Amelia, not in my eyes. To me you are the most intelligent woman I know and you make a brilliant scout." Amelia's mouth fell open slightly as they stopped outside of her door.

"Thank you Tristan for fixing my wound." He nodded slightly. "How can I ever repay you?" Amelia looked quickly to the floor knowing that she could never repay a man such as Tristan. His hand suddenly slipped under her chin and forced her eyes up to his. He stared longingly into them before smiling the most beautiful smile imaginable.

"I do not need you to repay me Amelia. Knowing that you are well is the best part of waking on a morning. I am proud to be apart of ensuring your health." He released her quickly and turned to walk away.

"Tristan." He turned quickly to look at the beautiful woman who stood before him. Who would wish to break such a person's heart? She slowly walked toward him and for a moment she stared up into his eyes before she rose onto her toes and pushed her lips against his. She felt him tighten for a moment and she suddenly thought that he would push her away, but he did not. Instead he pulled her body closer to his, tightening his grip around her and deepened the passionate embrace.


	26. Why did you do that?

Why did you do that? – Chapter 26

Amelia pulled away from Tristan and looked up into his dark handsome eyes. Her side hurt greatly and as she looked up to the scout he knew that she was in serious pain.

"Why did you do that?" He asked quickly looking down at her with severe pain in his eyes.

"Do what?" She asked.

"Kiss me?" She looked to the floor quickly.

"Can you seriously say that you did not want me to kiss you Tristan?"

"I asked you a question." She laughed slightly.

"I do not know why I kissed you Tristan, do I really need a reason?"

"Of course you do. Did you do it because of Lancelot? If it is I do not wish to be apart of it. If you are using me because you cannot have Lancelot than I will not stand beside you never mind look at you."

"Alright Tristan, but what are your feelings, you must have some feelings for me?"

"You know I have feelings for you and you most certainly know what they are. What are your feelings Amelia?" She sighed slightly and looked to the floor before looking back to the scout's handsome face.

"I am unsure of my feelings Tristan, I am so confused. So many things have happened to me since I have been here and I do not know my destiny. I could tell you that I am madly in love with you and desire you to hold me but I cannot at the moment at time, I am unsure Tristan."

"Then I do not wish to be with a woman who is unsure of her feelings, you never know when she is going to betray you."

"I would never betray you Tristan, you should know that."

"I am unsure if I do know if I could trust you Amelia." He pushed past her quickly and walked down the corridor until he stopped and turned to look at the beautiful woman who had slight tears in her eyes.

"When you decide what you want Amelia, I will be waiting. I stand beside any decision you make as long as you do not go back to Lancelot. If you forgive him for his infidelity then I will never forgive you. Learn from your mistakes Amelia. When you have made a decision I will be waiting but do not come to me before then for I will reject you again." At this the scout turned quickly on his heals and walked quickly down the corridor.

"Tristan please." Amelia said before the man walked around the corner and out of her sight.

Amelia stood rooted on the spot for a moment, crying at losing two men in one day. But what did she want? She most certainly did not wish to take Lancelot back into her life, he betrayed her and he never would again. But with Tristan, she knew that she had slight feelings for the mysterious man but what that enough for her to commit herself?

"Amelia." A voice shouted. She looked up quickly silently hoping that the voice belonged to her scout but when she saw Arthur walking toward her she did seem slightly disappointed. She dried her eyes quickly as the man stopped in front of her.

"Yes Arthur."

"I heard that you have been injured in the attack on the Saxons." Amelia smiled slightly.

"It is nothing that a good night's sleep cannot cure Arthur. I will be well by sunrise I assure you."

"You should go to Dagonet, he may be able to help you."

"Thank you Arthur, but Tristan has already helped me with my wound. Now all I long for is to sleep peacefully." She moved away slightly but he stopped her. He held her shoulder slightly with a firm but supporting grip.

"I heard about Lancelot." He said.

"I suppose that everyone has."

"I am sorry Amelia." She laughed slightly.

"So am I Arthur, so am I." At this she walked away watched by the curious and maddened eyes of Arthur.

Amelia had just laid her head on her pillow when the door creaked open and someone walked in. She listened to the footsteps and immediately recognized who had disturbed her.

"Go away Lancelot."

"Please Amelia, let me explain myself." Amelia sat up quickly and looked at the Knight that stood before her.

"I do not wish to hear your excuses. I have heard enough of them. So please, leave me alone."

"Please Amelia, the relationship with her meant nothing."

"It must have meant something for you took her to you bed more than once."

"Amelia…"

"Do not interrupt me! I knew from the beginning that I could not trust you and for a while I thought that I could give you a chance. I gave you one chance Lancelot and you deceived me, just as I thought. I will give you no more chances, you have proved yourself to be exactly what everyone thinks. You are nothing but a man who uses women for his own pleasures."

"I confess that I am Amelia, but you were different."

"Do not give me that! I do not wish to hear it." She stood up quickly and looked up into his face, growing angrier by the moment. "To tell you the truth and all that I think Lancelot, I am so pleased that I did not give myself to you!" The dark haired Knight was silent for a moment.

"You have made your feelings very clear Amelia, I will not trouble you again." At this he turned toward the door and opened it. "I am sorry Amelia, I did not mean for it to be like this."

"You mean that you did not wish to be caught." At this he sighed slightly and left the room slamming the door behind him.

At least that was over, in a way Amelia knew that he would come to her and apologise and she already knew that she would not accept it. He could go running back to his whore for he would never have her again. Perhaps it was for the best.

Three days later Amelia and Tristan rode from Badon hill in the sunshine. They had been assigned a scouting mission to track a small amount of Saxons on the west coast. It was their duty to watch them and take any information back to Arthur.

As they rode through the heat not one word was said, there was no need, the tension was too great. Amelia sat looking due west and Tristan was sleeping in the saddle.

It was almost a day later when Tristan decided to stop to rest the horses. To Amelia it was a joy to be released from the restricting saddle and be free to walk around. As Amelia tied her horse to a nearby tree Tristan made himself comfortable against a tree. Amelia looked at him for a moment and saw the beauty in his features. She had never realized it before but now it was different, she was different.

As the sun shone down on Tristan's face he closed his eyes and relaxed. The weather was wonderful for this time of year, it was normally raining or snowing. It only came to his attention that someone was stood above him when a shadow was on his face, blocking the sun. He opened his eyes slowly and looked at the angel stood above him, hair billowing in the wind and a beautiful smile on her face.

"What is it Amelia? You are standing in the sun." She smiled quickly before sitting down in front of him.

"I have something to tell you Tristan." She said quickly and nervously.

"What is it then?" She smiled slightly.

"I have made a decision." He sat up slightly and looked at her. "I do not want Lancelot, he was a comforter for me, it was never lust or love. But I do want you Tristan, I need you. Will you have me or am I to be alone?" The scout sighed slightly.

"Will I have you Amelia?" He sighed again. "Will I have you?"

Amelia stared down at Tristan for a moment hoping and wishing for him to give her an answer. She seemed slightly disappointed as he stood and took out a knife.

"Are you not going to tell me your answer Tristan?" He grinned slightly before he gripped his knife tightly and held it out to her neck. She stood mesmerised for a moment but she did not speak to him. Instead she stared into his eyes as he did hers. It was only a moment later when he moved the knife down slightly before cutting open her shirt. She gasped slightly but he only sighed before roughly turning her and pushing her fragile body against a tree.

"You are not coming to me in place of Lancelot are you Amelia?"

"I have told you, I am not. Do you need me to prove it to you?" He sighed slightly.

"Perhaps I do."

"Then tell me what you desire for I will give it." He laughed slightly.

"Kiss me!" As this Amelia looked lovingly into his eyes before kissing him passionately. Both Amelia and Tristan immediately felt that flames of passion ignite and as they slid to the floor undressing each other Amelia knew that she would always give herself to Tristan, he was worth her love.

Under the tree during the break from the mission Tristan claimed the vicious lover - and she was vicious. He underestimated her, he knew that. She was wonderful and as he reached the heights of his own pleasure she arrived at her own peak. Together they lay crumpled on the cold floor sweating and laughing.

Deep in her heart, as Amelia lay next to Tristan, she knew she was pleased she did not give herself to Lancelot. She did admire him but knew that nothing in the past or the future could compare to the day under the tree with Tristan.

Still recovering from the heights of pleasure one bestowed on the other neither Tristan nor Amelia was aware of the man who stood watching them. Neither of them knew that they were being watched or that the man with dark hair was amazed to find the two scouts in such disarray. But what would be said?


	27. Make haste to Badon Hill

Make haste to Badon Hill – Chapter 27

Amelia did not realise the man was watching them as she quickly dressed. It was only when Tristan stopped placing his daggers back into position that Amelia looked up at him.

"What is it Tristan?" Amelia asked as the scout looked directly over her shoulder. Tristan nodded his head slightly but hoping she had seen the signal he did nothing more. He was relieved when she finally turned to look at the man who stood opposite them. It was here that Amelia sighed in relief slightly. The woad who had discovered them in the shadows of the trees bowed slightly to them.

Amelia examined the woad quickly from the blue paint which covered his skin to the daggers he carried at his sides.

"Merlin has a desire to see you both." The woad said in a strong voice.

"On which matter?" Tristan asked.

"The Saxons. Romans and Woads are at peace, our enemy is the Saxon that we have all been trained to kill. Merlin desires your presence."

"Where is Merlin?" Amelia asked.

"At the camp, I will take you there." The woad nodded quickly before he walked into the trees. Amelia had just moved to follow him when Tristan grabbed her arm roughly.

"How can we trust him?" He asked.

"Tristan, we are at peace with the woads, they are no danger to us. That woad it right, the Saxon is our enemy now and to destroy them Roman and Woad must forget their differences. Would you be able to do that?" He quickly let go of her arm. "I thought so."

As Amelia entered the woods she immediately realised that it was so much darker than what it had first appeared to be. The trees allowed a distinct shadow to appear on the ground but the only natural light that flooded the trees was limited.

"Which way did he go Tristan?"

"Who?" Tristan asked in puzzlement.

"The woad?" Amelia saw Tristan shrug slightly.

"I am here." Amelia turned to the right at this to see the woad stood staring at them. "Come, Merlin waits!"

Amelia felt like she had followed the woad for an eternity before they finally came to an opening. As the three people spread across the opening the two scouts could do nothing but stare in amazement.

The woads lived so differently to what they had expected. Wooden huts made from scraps of trees where netted together with rope for the main walls of the homes yet on the top of the homes for a roof sat hay. The woads were supposed to be intelligent and yet if a battle was ongoing inside of the camp surely every home would burn to the ground. Amelia could not understand it and Tristan most surely could not.

They both closed their mouths simultaneously and followed the woad through the camp. There sitting on a bundle of hay outside of one of the wooden homes sat Merlin.

"Ah, Tristan, Amelia." The magician said in enthusiasm as he stood and held out his arms in welcome. "Thank you for joining me." Amelia nodded slightly to the woad leader.

"Why did you bring us here Merlin?"

"To give you some information." Tristan nodded quickly.

"What is that information Merlin?" Tristan asked.

"A few days previous a few Saxon ships arrived on the North cost, the commander Cynric was among them."

"Cynric, Cerdic's son?" Tristan asked.

"Yes, the information Amelia gathered has become useful to us. However, Cerdic was not among them his son was in command." Amelia nodded slightly.

"What can he be doing in Britain?" Amelia asked.

"That is what I would like to know." Merlin answered. "Take this information back to Arthur, he will know what to do."

"But we are scouting Saxons." Amelia said. "You said that you were unable to kill the rest of the battalion."

"I will make sure that the rest of the Saxons on this land are killed! Return to Arthur, Cynric is more important." Amelia and Tristan stood at this. "But make haste, take your horses as fast as they will go, speed is necessary." They both nodded to the leader in thanks for the information.

"And Amelia," Merlin said as the two scouts walked away. "Watch your back for Cynric, he is a danger to you." Amelia looked puzzled for a moment and was about to ask why when the woad leader turned and disappeared into the trees.

To Tristan and Amelia the information which Merlin had told them was of vital importance to Britain and as they ran to their horses neither could stop thinking about the consequences if things were to go wrong.

Over the course of the day the two scouts pushed their horses harder and harder in desperation of reaching Badon Hill. There was no conversation between them, both minds were pre-occupied with other problems.

As the gates of Badon Hill opened Arthur stood on the battlements and watched for the approaching riders, it was only a moment later when he saw the two riders approaching at high speed. He stared for a moment before he finally realised that the horses carried his scouts.

"There is something wrong!" Arthur said to Lancelot who stood next to him. Lancelot immediately leant over the battlement and watched Amelia and Tristan for a moment.

"There certainly is! Let us go and meet them." At this both Knights took off at a run down the steps and across the fort to the Knights courtyard. As they approached people skidded to the side of the road to avoid the high speed horses.

As the two horses pulled to a stop Arthur immediately looked up. Tristan had a look of panic in his eyes and as he looked to Amelia he saw that she was very pale. It was only then that he saw she was holding her side.

"Amelia, are you well?" Arthur asked quickly. At this point the rest of the Knights had arrived at the courtyard and were looking up at the two riders. At this Amelia looked up at the commander and slightly moved he hand. It was here that he saw the blood seeping through her white shirt.

"Dagonet!" Arthur said quickly. "Amelia's wound has reopened, see to it!" Dagonet immediately rushed to Amelia's horse to help her down.

Tristan jumped from his horse quickly and started a conversation with Arthur about Merlin as Amelia slid from the saddle. She looked up at Dagonet quickly and as he stared at her he noticed that she looked really ill.

"Let us get you inside." At this he picked the woman up and held her in his arms. To his surprise there was no complaints from the woman, instead she remained silent.

Dagonet gently placed the woman on the bed and pulled her shirt above her stomach.

"The stitches have come undone." He said. "It is bleeding heavily." Amelia did nothing but stare at the man above her. "How did you do this?" She smiled slightly.

"We had to travel fast." She said.

"Fast riding could not have caused this Amelia, what did you do?" She swallowed quickly.

"I was with Tristan." Dagonet was shocked for a moment before he regained his composure and swallowed.

"Then he should have known better."

It was only a few moments later when the door opened and Arthur walked into the room followed by Tristan. They both walked quickly over to the bed and looked down at the woman on it. Her eyes were half closed and they were unsure if she was actually awake.

"How is she?"

"I am well." Amelia said weakly. Both Arthur and Tristan looked down at Dagonet who knelt next to the bed. The big Knight did nothing but shake his head.

"The wound is worse." He said to the two other Knights. "I feel that the stitches will no longer hold it."

"What can we do? "Arthur asked.

"We have to close it with heat." Dagonet answered.

"You mean burn her?" Tristan asked. Dagonet nodded.

"It is the only way."

"No, please." Amelia pleaded. "Anything but that."

"Do it!" Arthur commanded.

As Dagonet heated the metal in the fire of Amelia's room Arthur and Tristan held the woman tightly to the bed. Gawain stood by in silence waiting to see if his assistance would be needed in the operation.

As Dagonet approached the bed Amelia's eyes opened wide in shock. Dagonet did not wish to hurt her and yet to do so would surely save her life.

"Do it now." Tristan said with impatience.

As the metal finally touched Amelia's pale skin a scream echoed through the depths of the fort. The other Knights knew what the scream was due to and they did feel sincerely sorry for her but it was for the best.

To the surprise of the Knights in the room Amelia did not struggle as much as they thought, it was perhaps due to the fact that she was weak. It was only a moment after the heat touched her skin that Amelia lost consciousness and stopped struggling. Yet that night even her dreams were haunted by visions of an unpleasant past and an uncertain future.


	28. The Fall of a Knight

The Fall of a Knight – Chapter 28

Amelia opened her eyes slowly and looked up at the Knight who sat next to her bed. She was surprised not to see Tristan there but when she finally did awake she was surprised to see who she actually did.

"Lancelot." She said in surprise.

"Amelia, you are awake!" He smiled slightly. "How do you feel?" Amelia smiled slightly.

"A little better, it is still very painful. But I suppose that is expected." He nodded slightly. Lancelot gently placed his hand on her cheek and sighed.

"We were all so frightened for you. We thought that you would never wake." Amelia gently placed her hand on top of Lancelot's as he sat staring down at her. "Where is Tristan?" She asked quickly.

"With Arthur I believe." She nodded slightly.

"I am pleased that you are awake Amelia. None of us could live without you, or fight to our best ability. We would no longer have you to lecture us when we move wrong during sword practice." Amelia laughed slightly before she placed her hand on his cheek.

"You are kind Lancelot." He smiled slightly at her but a small rustle from the corner or the room made him turn.

"Tristan!" Amelia said with enthusiasm as the scout himself stood in the doorway to her room. "Please come in." The scout took one step into the room and stopped.

"I did not realise that you were here Lancelot." Tristan said in no more than a whisper.

"I came to see how Amelia was."

"Did you now, you did not come to ask her to return to your bed?" Tristan said evilly.

"Of course not!" Amelia said. "Tristan, how can you think such things?"

"I would do no such thing Tristan." Lancelot added. Tristan sighed slightly.

"I wish I could believe you." He said before he silently turned and walked from the room.

"Tristan!" Amelia shouted after him. "Tristan please!" The scout did not respond, instead her kept walking down the corridors ignoring the vicious lover's calls. His mind was far too engaged with thinking of the situation in which he found Lancelot and his lover. She had given herself to him under the tree and yet she was acting as though it had never happened. Who was it that she really wanted? Was it him or Lancelot?

Amelia was restricted from leaving her room and commanded to remain in bed by Dagonet but she quickly became very lonely. After many messages to Tristan via a roman legionnaire there was still no sight of the scout. He was ignoring her for the reason of finding her with Lancelot, what a stupid assumption! She decided that she was just as mad with him as he was with her and decided to leave him alone. She would have been content with this did she not completely miss his presence. She missed his smile and the roughness of his dark hair. So as the day passed she remained extremely bored and remained in bed. She was still in rather a lot of pain and every time she moved quickly there was a jolt of pain through her body.

It was only when nightfall came that the door opened into her room. She sat up quickly thinking it Tristan but as she sat in pain from the excessive movement she saw the woman stood before her. Vanora stood patiently beside the bed with a tray of food.

"How are you feeling Amelia?" Vanora asked.

"A little better, thank you Vanora." The woman nodded. "Where is Tristan?" Vanora looked to the floor quickly.

"They have not told you have they?" Amelia shook her head quickly.

"Tell me Vanora, please."

"The Knights left for a mission against the Saxons. They are not to return until the mission is complete."

"They have gone!" Amelia said in anger. "And left me alone!" Vanora nodded silently.

"I told them that you would be angry Amelia but they did not listen, it was only Bors who agreed with me."

"And they were right, I am mad!" At this Amelia jumped from the bed sending pain gushing through her side.

"Where are you going Amelia?" Vanora asked in a worried tone.

"To join the Knights."

"But Arthur will be displeased, he asked me to watch you."

"Then tell him that you came to my room and I was not here. He will ask no questions, he will think I left without your knowing." Vanora placed her head down.

"There is no way I can stop you?"

"No." Amelia answered.

"Very well. Be safe Amelia." At this Amelia pulled on some clothes and walked quickly out of the door toward the stables.

She was determined to follow the Knights just to find Tristan. She had to tell him how sorry she was and to explain about Lancelot. But most importantly she had to inform him of how much she loved him and how unworthy her life was without him - it was her destiny.

Far from the safety of Badon Hill, Amelia stops in a sheltered clearing in some woods to rest her horse and takes a comfortable position under a tree. It is under this tree that Amelia remembers being under a similar tree with Tristan. This one memory quickly makes her smile but it soon disappears when she finds herself in pain again, but she is determined to find the Knights that left her and her love.

It is under the tree that Amelia suddenly notices the hoof marks and footprints on the ground around where she was lying. As she examined the rest of the enclosure she also found the remains of a fire and a broken knife which she knew had belonged to Tristan. So they had camped here also, at least that was a sign that they were not far from the spot, they could not have got much further especially when looking for Saxons.

A few miles away from where Amelia stood Tristan looked across at the Saxons on the opposite side of the fields. The look of the Saxons as they marched across British land caused Tristan to immediately imagine Amelia's sarcastic humour in his mind and knew that she was with him. At this he turned in the saddle quickly to seek her only to find that he was looking directly into the eyes of Lancelot. "What is it Tristan?" Lancelot asked.

"Nothing, I thought I saw someone from a distant past." Tristan quickly turns back to the Saxons and thinks to himself how much he actually loves her, she is not a distant past, she will and always will be his future.

Arthur was giving a battle plan to his knights as they sat on their horses but Tristan was not listening to his commander, instead he was thinking of Amelia.

The group of Knights were quickly disturbed by the roar of Bors' voice.

"It's Amelia!" The big man shouted. Every face turns to look at the young woman who sat cowered in the saddle in pain.

"What in Gods name are you doing here?" Arthur yelled angrily. "I commanded you to stay at Badon Hill!"

"You are not well enough to be here Amelia!" Dagonet added.

"You have no place here!" Arthur said angrily.

"I do have a place here I have a place like all of my other brothers in arms do, I am the same as them!" Amelia retaliated.

"Yes, but they are not injured!" Arthur pushes his horse away and is followed by the other Knights excluding Tristan and Lancelot.

"Go back to Badon Hill Amelia. That is where the vicious lover should be!" Arthur yelled over his shoulder.

"You should learn your place." Lancelot said to the woman.

"I am a knight! This is my place! Just as it is yours!" Tristan and Lancelot quickly pushed their horses away but Amelia kicked her horse into motion and stopped in front of Tristan blocking his path to the Saxons and Arthur.

"Ride on, I will join you." Tristan said to Lancelot.

"Please listen to me," Amelia started. "I know I have been a fool. I was so blind not to see what was in front of me. Arthur told me that the Vicious Lover's place was at Badon Hill and that is where she is. I am here as Amelia not the vicious lover to tell you that it was never Lancelot but always you who understood who I was. I know that you do not believe me when I say this, I do not believe myself! But I need you to know that this is my place, it always will be by your side." Tristan said nothing, instead he stared at her as if waiting for something.

"Later Amelia, I have no time for this!"

"You have no time for the woman you love?" Amelia asked angrily.

"Loved Amelia, Loved." At this Tristan pulled his horse to the side and galloped to join Arthur and the other Knights.

Amelia sat sternly in her saddle staring at the spot where Tristan last sat. She replayed the conversation over in her mind until she finally realised that even if he did not love her it would not prevent her from loving him. She loved Tristan and no one would be able to stop that, not even the scout himself.

As the battle roared below on the fields of Britain what they had defended for so long Amelia felt that he place was not sitting on the verge watching her friends die, her position was with them and at Tristan's side. She quickly kicks her heals into the horses flanks and sets it off at a quick canter toward the battle.

As she grew closer and closer to the approaching Saxons she took her hands from the reins and steered the beast with her knees. She pulled her two swords from her back and placed them in an attacking position for the approaching Saxons.

When she finally arrived at the centre of the battlefield she raised her bloody swords into the air and yelled a battle cry. This was immediately repeated by Bors who was no more than a few metres away.

After taking down a row of Saxons with her horse she unhooked her feet from the stirrups and jumped to the floor slicing a Saxon as she landed. At the strength of the land she gripped her side in pain but immediately stood straight as a Saxon approached. She smiled slightly with the enthusiasm of the kill before running forward and slicing the Saxon across the gut. As she pulled her sword from another Saxon she looked up into the eyes of Arthur. He smiled weakly at her.

"I thought that you may need some help." Amelia said to her commander. Arthur nodded to her in respect before he killed a Saxon with Excalibur as he approached.

For a while Amelia fought next to Arthur watching him carefully ensuring that he was in no danger from anyone before she set her eyes on the hunt for Tristan, but she could not see him anywhere!

**Tristan POV**

I looked out of the corner of my eye quickly and saw Amelia fighting next to Arthur. I watched her carefully for a moment. As I watched she paused looking to her left before she dropped her swords and started running towards Arthur. What the hell is she doing? Is she trying to get herself killed? I glanced up quickly and suddenly saw what she did, an arrow was flying through the air in the direction of Arthur. Realization suddenly hit me and I knew immediately what was going to happen. I started to run but I knew myself that it was far too late to help. I watched Amelia and Arthur as I ran across the battlefield intensively watching for an outcome which was inevitable.

Arthur fell quickly to the floor from the force that Amelia pushed him with and when I heard the thump of the arrow enter Amelia's chest I knew what had happened. Amelia had sacrificed her life for Arthur's. I suddenly found myself to be screaming her name as I sliced my way through the Saxons, I had to be with her, I needed to say that I was sorry.

I skidded to my knees quickly at her side and grabbed her by her waist to pull her onto my knee.

"Dagonet!" I screamed in hope that the man would be able to help Amelia. I quickly looked up at Arthur who sat silently over the woman who saved his life.

**Amelia POV**

At first the pain was unbelievable and unbearable but now it is starting to descend into a sort of an unreachable itch. I can see that Tristan is above me and for the first time I see his eyes hold some emotions. I must remember to tell him that when I wake up. I will have to say, "I saw some emotion!" Yet everything seems to be going blurred and I am becoming more weak than I could ever imagine. I can hear Tristan speaking but it is no more than an echo. What is he saying? The world is fading and yet I should be scared. If this what I have to do to have him hold me I would do it a thousand times over.

**Normal POV**

"Look at me Amelia!" Tristan said strongly. "Please forgive me, it is I who have been blind not you. I forgive you, now please forgive me." Amelia's eyes closed and Tristan suddenly began to cry.

"Tristan," Arthur whispered to his normally emotionless scout. "Give her to Dagonet, he will do what he can."

Tristan watches Dagonet carry Amelia across the now silent battlefield and found himself to be crying silently at her figure. At this he whispers, "Please do not die Amelia, I never told you how much I loved you."

**Amelia POV**

I feel being lifted from the floor but I do not know whose arms they are and as the person carries me I watch Tristan's shadow fall further into the darkness. I whisper "Please" as the final lights fades from my view and I sink into an unconsciousness I do not have the strength to return from.


	29. The death of a Knight

The death of a Knight – Chapter 29

The seven Knights that remained after the battle with the Saxons stood silently around the mound of new earth that recently covered Amelia's grave. A small crowd stood nearby looking on the sorrowful sight that was before their eyes. Vanora was one of the onlookers of the grave and although she stood at some distance with her dozen children she still felt the sadness engulf her. Amelia had always been a good friend to her and she knew that through Amelia becoming a Knight she protected Bors as well as the other Knights. She also, knew that Arthur took some of the responsibility for Amelia's death on the battlefield and that Tristan was becoming more and more encased in his shell of depression.

The dark scout became more mysterious after Amelia's death and although he seemed normal to the average eye his fellow Knights knew that he disappeared at night to slay Saxons. It was during this slaughter that Tristan felt a strong need for revenge and even after killing a large amount he still felt that the Vicious Lover's death had not been revenged.

It was at the side of Amelia's grave when the rest of the onlookers and Knights had disappeared that Tristan fell to his knees. His hands fell to the soil covering his lover and grasped it between his fingers in anger.

"I will revenge your death Amelia, my love. I will have my own revenge." At this his head levelled to the two identical swords which were pushed into the soil like a monumental image of his love. It was at this that he remembered her words _We live by the sword and die by it _but at that moment in time Tristan could not understand the concept of the astonishing words. Instead his emotions were overcome by grief. But was grieving not a way of overcoming heartache? To Tristan it was not and as he kissed the hilt of one of her swords he knew that deep inside he would never learn to not love the woman who was so special to him and most importantly, the woman who had overcome his heart of stone.

"I will never love another Amelia." Tristan cried into the air. "You will always be in my heart."

"Your heart will heal in time." A voice echoed behind the dark Knight. Tristan jumped to his feet at this spinning to look in the direction of the voice. As his eyes levelled to the old man who stood before him he laughed slightly.

"And what would you understand Merlin?" Tristan asked in anger.

"Amelia does not wish you to mourn her, she wishes you to continue as you always have, strongly." Merlin added this is a soft reassuring voice which made Tristan frown slightly.

"How do you know this?" The Knight asked.

"I am a dark magician, Tristan. I know many things."

"Did she suffer greatly?" Tristan asked.

"No. She did not suffer, you were there with her, you comforted her. You were the one who allowed her to see the light when she was dying, not the darkness. She wants to thank you for that, she will always be grateful to you Tristan. She loves you greatly."

"Then why did she leave me?" Tristan yelled.

"It was her destiny. Your paths will cross again I promise you, be patient. It is also, your destiny that you shall meet her again." At this the old man turned to walk back into the woods.

"What do you mean, our paths will cross again?"

"Be patient Tristan, you will understand soon." At this Merlin disappeared and with him went every hope of Tristan understanding the old man's riddles.

"Bloody fool!" Tristan said in anger as he turned back to Amelia's grave.

Tristan sat at the side of the grave for slightly longer before he stood and walked to the tavern where the rest of the Knights sat silently with the exception of Arthur.

"Tristan!" Bors yelled as he stood. "Come have a drink. Vanora! Get Tristan a drink!" She sighed slightly behind the bar before pouring a cup of ale and walking to Tristan. Tristan took it quickly and drained it but when his eyes met with Lancelot's across the bar there was a moment of anger towards him for harming Amelia. He swallowed quickly pushing away the inclination of wanting to harm him before turning and walking across into the shadows of the bar.

Most of the other Knights had become rather drunk by the time the sun started to rise to symbolise the next day, none of them had slept, instead they sat in the tavern and drank. However, while most Knights could not walk straight, Tristan sat in a corner twisting a cup full of ale in his hand. He had drunk very little and he most certainly was not drunk.

Hence, when Arthur entered the tavern in the rising sunlight Tristan was the first to stand and walk toward his commander. There Tristan stood patiently in front of Arthur waiting for the other Knights to join them.

Finally, when all of the Knights were assembled Arthur spoke.

"We have a mission." He said quietly. "We are to travel south and ensure that Cynric's ships are leaving British shores. I have come to understand that Cynric survived the battle and fled to his ship with a small party of Saxons."

"I will prepare." Tristan said before placing his full cup of ale down on a table and walking to the stables.

"We leave as soon as you are all prepared." Arthur added to the other Knights.

A heavy mist had settled over Britain that morning and as the Knights rode at high speed through the country. This mist restricted their eyesight and as it became heavier over the land they slowed their horses in the hope that they may not get lost.

It was not long after when the seven horses came to a stop at the top of the hill looking out across a large field. Arthur's eyes scanned the land ahead until he saw two figures walking through the mist toward them.

"Who is that?" Galahad asked. Arthur shook his head, unable to determine who they were for the mist. In response to the figures they all drew weapons in preparation for a fight that may have to take place. _Is this my destiny?_ Tristan asked himself, _Is this what Merlin meant, am I to die here to be reunited with Amelia?_ At this thought Tristan dropped from his saddle, sword in hand and walked toward the figures promising himself that he would do anything to be reunited with his love.

As the figures approached closer to the waiting scout he watched them carefully taking in the cloaks that bellowed around them in the wind. Yet the mist still disguised them, of course until they were close enough for the scout to see who they were.

The other Knights watched Tristan from a small distance away as the two figures stopped in front of him. To the Knights astonishment Tristan dropped his sword to the ground with a thud and fell unceremoniously to his knees at the people's feet.


	30. The Return

The Return – Chapter 30

As Tristan fell to his knees in front of the two mysterious figures the rest of the Knights urgently pushed their horses forward, swords pointing at the two figures.

As Arthur looked down at the two silent people he thought for a moment a sense of happiness, something he had not experienced since the death of Amelia. She had, after all, sacrificed her own life so he could live.

"Arthur." A woman's voice suddenly said from under one of the cloaks. "I am pleased that you live."

"Who are you?" The commander asked as his horse moved unceremoniously in a backwards direction. "How do you know me?" At this one of the figures dropped their hood and Arthur's mouth opened in surprise. "Merlin! What is your business here?" Arthur slowly lowered his sword.

"I wished to return an item of value to you, something you recently lost."

"And what is that?" Lancelot asked that magician.

"The vicious lover." Tristan muttered from his position on his knees. The other Knights looked at him suspiciously for a moment before watching the other hooded figure walk over to the scout and also fall to their knees.

As the figure sat on their knees in front of Tristan, he remained silent, staring uncontrollably into the face of the stranger until he smiled. The figure reached out a hand and placed it gently on Tristan's cheek. In response the Knight closed his eyes and sighed before opening them revealing glistening tears outlining his eyes. It was only at this that he reached up to the face of the figure before pushing back the hood. As the waves of dark hair escaped down the woman's back the remaining Knights could do nothing but sit and stare at the vicious lover as she sat looking into her lover's eyes.

"I missed you Tristan." Amelia whispered. The scout silently fingered a strand of her hair as he stared into her beautiful eyes.

"Please forgive me Amelia." At this Amelia could do nothing but laugh.

"I will always forgive you my love." At this he stood and lifted the woman to her feet, planting her safely before leading her to Arthur.

As Amelia stood in front of Arthur she was just about to bow her head in respect when Arthur stopped her.

"I owe you everything Amelia." The commander said as he bowed his head to her. "You saved my life and for that I will be eternally grateful. You will always be my friend."

"Thank you Arthur."

"But how is this possible?" Lancelot asked as he looked to Merlin.

"I saw that in order for the Knights to fight properly and defeat the invading Saxons we needed Amelia." Merlin said. "I was thinking of keeping her with the woads but she would hear none of it. All she wanted was to return to her brothers."

"I missed you all greatly." Amelia said as she looked to each of the Knights with longing. "My time in the darkness of death was miserable until my saviour, Merlin restored me to life."

"We owe everything to you Merlin." Arthur said as he bowed his head to the wizard. "For returning our sister to us. But is there a price to be paid for such a thing?"

"There is nothing to be paid." Merlin answered. "The only thing that is asked of her is that she is requested to slaughter the Saxons that took her own life. Understandably, when Amelia was returned from the dead she already had a need for revenge. But now, remarkably, her strength has grown, not only in mind but also in physical ability."

"What do you mean?" Lancelot asked the magician.

"Amelia has strengths with weapons and mental ability which allows her to be stronger than any of you Knights of the Round Table. She will no longer use the strengths of others but instead, will use her own strength to get the revenge that she desires." Galahad laughed slightly in a mocking tone that made Merlin examine the young Knight with a quizzical eye.

"You mean that Amelia is stronger than even Arthur?"

"Precisely. Only through sacrifice can she be killed. She sacrificed her first life for your commander and therefore, her strength allows her to be only killed by another such sacrifice."

"I think I need proof of such a thing." Bors said in his usual stiff voice as he slid from his saddle.

Amelia stood in silence, quietly listening to the conversation of the Knights. She stared up to the sky mentally talking to her sister. Although, she had always wanted revenge for her sisters and mother's death she now felt the need to apologise to them, for she no longer needed revenge against the Woads, instead she demanded it against the Saxons. For this failure she apologised to her family, with the exception of her Father.

The Knights watched carefully as Bors drew his sword and watched his returned sister's back. Tristan realised that when the big Knight drew his sword Amelia's eyes fluttered open and for a moment she smiled. However, it was not until Bors was a foot behind Amelia that she finally turned to her attacker. She smiled slightly before gripping him tightly around the wrist that held the sword.

"You should remember Bors," She said as she held him tightly. "Never to attack someone when they have their back turned, it is bad manners." Bors laughed slightly before Amelia kicked him to the floor and pulled the sword from his hand.

"Impossible!" Galahad said in shock as Bors lay on the floor in a slightly temperamental manner. Amelia stood above him for a moment, laughing before outstretching her hand and pulling her friend to his feet.

As Bors stood staring at the young woman who had so easily forced him to the floor he held a look of utter shock. He hit her firmly on the back, grinning wildly.

"The Vicious Lover has returned to us!" He yelled at the top of his voice.

"And yet you forget that we are on a mission." Arthur said quickly. "Amelia, we are travelling to ensure that Cynric's ships have left the coasts of the country." This was when Merlin yet again spoke.

"I am afraid that Cynric's ships still remain on the coastline. I fear that their invasion will be soon. You should travel to Badon Hill. That is where you should think of what is the best thing to do for this country." Arthur nodded at him slightly. "My Woad armies will watch the Saxons. You will all be informed when they set foot back on our soil. I fear that is when the real invasion will begin and when Britain will be at it's most venerable."

"Very well." Arthur said in a strong voice. "Knights! We return to Badon Hill. Amelia, are you to accompany us?" Amelia smiled slightly at this question.

"My place will always be at my brothers' sides." At this her eyes flashed to Tristan, both people's eyes met in a silent agreement that they needed each other.

And so Amelia returned to Badon Hill, awaiting the news of a Saxon invasion, for then she would have her revenge. She was pleased to be reunited with her brothers and her love but inside she felt indebted to Merlin. From that day, she knew that she would always be at the aid of the magician who saved her from the darkness.

Yet deep in the ships of the Saxons, the invasion which Merlin had warned the Knights about was already beginning. Blades were being sharpened, men being ordered into boats and yet, Cerdic stood with his son with a look of anger on his face. His son had failed him once, he had been damaged by Knights on the battlefield and came back to his Father with nothing but misery. Yet, the Saxon leader knew what he needed for his army to rule the lands of Britain. He stood silently looking towards the coast of Britain and as he looked at his son, he growled five words,

"I need the Vicious Lover."


	31. Captured!

Captured – Chapter 31

"What do you mean Father?" Cynric asked. "Who is the Vicious Lover and why would he be of importance to the Saxons?" Cerdic grinned slightly as his son asked the questions.

"The Vicious Lover is a woman, a newly appointed Knight under the command of Arthur." The Scout answered before Cerdic had a chance to speak.

"I asked my Father! What good is your opinion on this matter!" Cynric snarled at the Scout.

"His opinion is of high importance, he call tell us all that we do not know." Cerdic said to his son with slight anger.

"As I was saying," The Scout continued. "She is a newly commissioned Knight under the command of an Arthur Castus. He is a Roman, fighting with a small amount of Samartian Knights. It is rumoured however, that the Vicious Lover, also known as Amelia died on the battlefield when we attacked."

"Then how is she of use to us if she is dead?" Cynric asked.

"It is also rumoured that the dark magician, Merlin restored her to life with more power than even Arthur himself. The Romans will do anything to keep her strength on their side. Unfortunately, if they do keep her it would mean unfortunate losses on our side. She kills with no mercy and has no heart!"

"Father, her ransom could pay for the entire campaign. We could force her to fight for us!" Cynric snarled to his Father.

"The Vicious Lover will not fight against her country, she will not allow such a thing, she will die first!" The replied.

"Then we shall hold her captive, surely Arthur cannot fight without his strength." Cerdic said with a small amount of amusement in his voice.

"There is one small problem." The Scout retorted.

"What is that?" Cynric asked.

"She has a lover who travels with her, his name is Tristan. He is the scout of the Knights, he will hear you coming before you are aware of them."

"But surely they want us from their lands, they will stay and fight." Cynric acknowledged.

"Of course they will! That is what I am proposing. You lead your armies inland, it is there that you are sure to find them. If you have a large enough force you may be able to overcome them. However, you take the risk with your army that they may kill all of your men."

"I will take that risk!" Cerdic snarled before he turned and walked across his ship.

Two days after their return to Badon Hill the gathering of Knights sat silently around the round table, each pair of solemn eyes looking to the floor.

"We need to arrange some kind of plan!" Amelia said in slight anger as she looked to each of the other Knights. "We cannot sit and wait for the Saxons to attack!"

"Amelia is right!" Tristan added as he looked across the table to his lover. He mentally remarked on how beautiful she looked at that moment, her hair flowing down her back and slight anger showing in her eyes.

"What do you propose Tristan?" Arthur asked.

"I advise that we observe the Saxons for a short time, taking in how they are motivated and how they respond to orders from their commanding officers. Surely, if we know more about their formations and strategies, we can make a better plan of advancement."

"I agree!" Amelia added to the conversation.

"What do you think Lancelot?" Arthur asked his second in command.

"I think it is a reasonable idea, worthy I suppose of a try." Arthur nodded slightly to Lancelot in thanks of his reply.

"Very well. Amelia, Tristan you leave when you are packed!" Amelia nodded slightly to Arthur in recognition before standing.

"Good luck Amelia," Bors said as he stood. "You will need it if you are caught!"

"It is good then, Bors that I make no intention of being caught!" The Knights roared with laughter as they all walked from the table room in a small group.

It must have been at least two days of fast riding later when Amelia and Tristan pulled their beasts to a stop at a clearing. Tristan laughed slightly as he stared at Amelia.

"What is so amusing Tristan?" She asked him.

"This reminds me of the time before you…"

"Died?" He nodded slightly.

"I missed you Tristan while I was in the darkness of death." He smiled slightly.

"I suppose that Merlin informed you of what I was like when you were away." She nodded slightly. "Please…" He pleaded. "Do not place me in that pain again, I would wish it on no one."

"I promise not to do so." Tristan nodded but his eyes were quickly forced to a selection of trees on his right side as a rustling sound emerged from them. He quickly drew his sword and Amelia followed suit.

"Show yourself!" Amelia shouted as she pointed her sword to the trees. For a moment Amelia held her breath in hope that it was an ally that they had come across rather than an enemy.

However, she slowly released her breath as a familiar old man walked into the clearing.

"Merlin!" Amelia said as she bowed her head.

"Good day my child." He said as he bowed his head to them slightly. "I bring you news of the Saxons."

"Have they retreated?" Tristan asked.

"Is that what you wish for Tristan? If you do then you will be disappointed. The Saxons have moved to land just off the shore and have encamped there. My Woads will offer as much information as possible but I am afraid that the trees in these parts are not well suited for our needs. When they pass from their camp we will be unable to follow them and that is when it will fall to you."

"How far are they ahead?" Amelia asked the magician.

"A few miles, not far." She nodded.

"We will ride a mile ahead and make camp, we shall observe them from there." Tristan said.

"Make camp in the trees, my woads will ensure your safety in these parts. However, if you venture too far towards them not even my woads can protect you."

"We understand." Amelia said. "Thank you." At this the magician nodded firmly before disappearing into the trees as quickly as he had appeared.

A mile ahead Tristan and Amelia yet again stopped for a break under the watchful eyes of the Woads. But as they stared out for the Saxon camp they were unable to see anything of importance.

"We need to be closer Amelia." Tristan said in no more than a whisper.

"We shall leave the horses and travel on foot." He nodded in confirmation before gathering all of his weapons and waiting for her.

As they walked casually further toward the camp they both knew that what they were doing was dangerous, they were risking their own lives for information.

"We must be as quiet as possible." Tristan whispered as Amelia stepped on a twig echoing a loud "snap". She did nothing but nod before signalling for them to move forward.

At an appropriate distance to the Saxons Amelia and Tristan both fell to their knees and examined as a small amount of Saxons rushed about the camp gathering weapons.

"Are they preparing to attack?" Amelia whispered.

"It appears so." There was a long silence as they watched the Saxons in their camp until Amelia suddenly drew her swords and turned around quickly.

Tristan quickly followed suit turning to face at least three hundred Saxons.

"Drop your weapons and surrender!" A Saxon said to them in anger. Amelia laughed wildly.

"We should have remained a mile back Tristan!" She yet again laughed at their stupidity before dropping her swords to the ground. Tristan immediately did the same, both raising their hands into the air.

"Someone wishes to see you!" A Saxon said to Amelia as they stared at her. As one Saxon placed his hand on her shoulder to pull her to her feet Amelia roughly grasped it, pulling it from her shoulder twisting it until a snap symbolised a broken wrist.

"I will go peacefully, under one condition." She said as she stared evilly at the Saxons.

"What is that?" A Saxon asked.

"That you let my companion free, you have no need for him." The Saxon was silent for a long moment before he sight.

"Get rid of him!" A group of Saxons immediately pulled Tristan to his feet and pushed him away, back in the direction of the Woads.

"No! Amelia!" Tristan screamed as he was pulled away.

Amelia quickly looked up from her position on the floor to the face of a Saxon who had approached her. Her eyes opened wildly as he raised his sword before he hit her across the head with the hilt, forcing her into unconsciousness.

Amelia groaned slightly with the pain in her head but still kept her eyes tightly closed. Where was she? Had the Saxons actually taken her? If so, why was she of importance?

As she slowly opened her eyes she saw a man stood over her with blonde hair. He was staring at her quizzically until he finally spoke.

"I am Cerdic. Welcome to the camp of the Saxons!"


	32. The Battle of Badon Hill

The Battle of Badon Hill – Chapter 32

Amelia stood surrounded by a small party of Saxons as the main army marched inland in the hope of taking the country in battle. As the army marched away their chants of battle carried back to Amelia long after they were able to be seen. It was unknown to Amelia why she was to be left behind with a small party of Saxons but to Cerdic it was the most practical thing he could do.

How was it possible for Cerdic to win the battle of Britain with the Vicious Lover on the opposite side to him? Yes, it was impossible, her strength was too good. The only way to overcome it was to tempt the Vicious Lover onto the side of the Saxons. Unfortunately for Cerdic this plan did not come into action as she bluntly refused. But what other option did he have?

He had tried everything to make her join him, but to no avail. She refused and refused his offer. He had even tried violence but she stood her ground and did nothing but try and fight back. It was only then at that very moment that he realised the only solution to his problems. As he grabbed her by the throat he looked deeply into her eyes, seeing the anger and emotion there made him realise that his solution could be the only way to take Britain. As he gripped her throat tighter in happiness he knew that the Vicious Lover would soon be sorry that she had refused his offer.

As the soldiers stood ready to march into battle their commander walked over to the Vicious Lover with a slight spring in his step. Every eye watched the Vicious Lover as she stood silently watching Cerdic approach. But the look the soldiers gave the one woman in the camp was not one of interest but one of longing. It had, after all, been many months since any of them had a woman. But watch her they did. As she stood with her shirt slightly ripped from Cerdic's violence the man himself stood before her. She looked away slightly in anger at the commander.

"You are to remain behind with a small amount of Saxons protectors. They will ensure that you do not escape and you are here for my return." Cerdic said happily to her.

"Bastard!" She hissed before she spat at him. He slapped her forcefully across the face in disgust.

"Now all you have to do it sit and wait for my return and then you shall be aware that all of your fellow Knights, including Arthur will be dead!"

"Arthur will never allow you to take this country!" Cerdic laughed.

"We shall see if that is true!" He walked away at this, shouting for the army to depart.

It was only at this that Amelia let her thoughts wander to the Knights, they were to be freed from their service but would she survive to ever see her beloved Tristan and her brothers again?

Amelia spent days sitting at the camp, saying nothing to the Saxons who constantly surrounded her. She saw that their eyes occasionally ventured the length of her frame in a seductive manner but she always looked away in sorrow, thinking of no one but Tristan and the Knights.

She longed for an escape but there was no method of such. She did try once but with a lack of weapons she failed. All she received in punishment was a quick slap across the face rendering her dizzy for a few moments before she was placed back to her position on the floor.

It was however, no surprise to Amelia when the Woads finally came to her rescue. She was the only one who saw them as they sat in their high positions in the trees. Comically, the Saxons did only see the swiftness of their aim as arrows penetrated their bodies. Amelia sat perfectly still watching the Woads as they cast their arrows in her direction. She knew how dangerous it was for her to move, a slight movement, of course, could render her in the path of an arrow.

She closed her eyes peacefully and listened to the arrows as they pushed past her inches from her face. She did not however, open her eyes until the sounds of the arrows stopped and in its place was the screams of the dying Saxons who were her captors.

It was at this that the woads emerged from their hiding places in the trees and walked toward her. A woman was the first to approach her.

"Are you alright? Did they harm you?" She asked kindly as she rushed around gathering Amelia's confiscated weapons.

"Yes, I am well. They did not harm me. But it is not myself i am fearful for. Is a battle raging?" The woman stopped at this and handed the weapons over.

"The battle of Badon Hill is raging as we speak. You are needed." At this a horse was offered to her. Amelia smiled before offering her thanks to the woads.

She quickly put her weapons in place on her person before pushing herself on to the horse.

"Are the Knights present at the battle?" Amelia asked as she looked down at the woads.

"The Knights of the Round Table returned for the battle of Badon Hill. You must know that we are gravely outnumbered!"

"I am aware of it. Therefore, the sooner I arrive at Badon Hill the better I shall feel."

Amelia did not await a reply from the Woads but urged her horse forward to Badon Hill. It would be a long journey to the wall but she had to urge the horse faster and faster to encourage herself that everything would be well.

Yet as she looked over the ruin of Badon hill her thought of people being well soon diminished into sorrow.

The smoke that covered the battlefield made her eyes sting and visibility was limited. She did however, see the few horses roaming the battlefield in the distance between the many dead without riders. To Amelia, this alone was a strong symbol of death.

At a loud screech Amelia looked to the sky to see Tristan's bird of Prey circling the sky. It was only then that Amelia realised that Tristan was present at the battle. Small tears formed in her eyes hoping and preying that his life had been spared.

Arthur fell to his knees at the side of Lancelot's body and looked at the Knight's dead body with a mixture of emotions including sadness and anger.

"My Knights I have failed you!" Arthur said as small tears fell from his eyes. He looked up at the small amount of Knights that remained and swore to himself never to risk their lives again. He knew that there would be other battles in the future but he knew that he would never force one of his Knights to fight the battle. He knew, like Lancelot that the battle had to be of their own choosing. He knew that this very battle had been of their own choosing but it had not been protecting their own country!

As Arthur's eyes scanned the field of dead he saw one very familiar shape emerging through the smoke, he knew that this person held the key to their future. Her sorrow alone at their loss would be great for each Knight knew that Amelia had more feelings for the Knights, they were her brothers.

He saw that she looked tired but no blood was present on her clothes. Therefore, she had not escaped in time for the battle. Arthur had to admit that he was relieved at this, he could not cope with loosing another of his Knights. They all meant too much to him!

As Arthur stood Amelia's eyes fixed on him and a smile crossed her face for she knew that at least some of her brothers survived.

"Arthur!" She shouted as she ran toward him raising her arms and jumping into his embrace. "I am so pleased that you are well! Bors, Gawain, Galahad, I am sure that you made you commander proud!" Arthur firmly pushed Amelia away as she stood "Oh, I am so pleased that you are alive! But where is Lancelot...and Tristan!" Arthur's eyes quickly rested on the ground before they lifted to look over Amelia's shoulder.

Amelia suddenly understood this gesture and turned to look at the bodies that lay silently on the battlefield.

"No! It cannot be!" As she said this she slowly walked over to the bodies looking lovingly down at the man who she thought she loved and the man that had helped them through their long journey, Jols. Small tears escaped her eyes as she fell to her knees at the side of Lancelot looking lovingly into his eyes which were still open in a look of happiness that no one could explain. Her hands rested gently on his shoulders as she stared in his face.

"This cannot be possible!" She shook Lancelot quickly hoping that he would wake, but he did not. He had gone to a better place.

"Where is Tristan?" She asked them in anger. She stood quickly to interrogate them but a sudden noise caused her to swiftly turn about. There covered in blood and perspiration, stood Tristan.

Amelia felt as though she could not breathe. She could see him but she did not know if he was real. She walked slowly toward him and reached her had out in order to touch him.

"Tristan?" She said as her fingers gently touched his. He was real! She fell into his embrace pressing her head against his chest which was covered in the blood of the enemy. "I thought you were dead!" She lifted her head quickly and kissed him passionately.

"I will never leave you!" He said before he pulled her back to him, smiling happily.

No one tried to move Amelia as she stood in the middle of the battlefield with her head rested on her lover's chest. Even Bors stood silently watching the couple as tears fell unceremoniously from his eyes.

"I am so pleased you did not leave me Tristan, I cannot bear it alone!" Amelia whispered to her lover as she raised her head slightly to look into his eyes. Those eyes in which held so much emotion. At that moment in time they only held love, the one emotion that was for the Vicious Lover alone.

The battle of Badon Hill was seen to many as a battle of great loss, it was also the same for the Knights who mourned the loss of one of their best brothers. They also knew however, that Lancelot would be happy, he was free. He was no longer loyal and subservient to Rome, he could return to his home in spirit.

Many people who knew Tristan and Amelia said that they were both worthy Knights who loved until the end. Unfortunately, due to Merlin's legacy Tristan was the first to exit the world. Amelia of course, mourned her husband's death until her own demise.

People who knew her better like her brothers knew that Amelia changed after the death of Tristan. She seemed much shallower and chose to speak to no one apart from her child, Tristan, named after his Father. Although Amelia only lived a few years before joining her husband in heaven she never entertained men. She remained loyal to Tristan's love until she met her own death through a sacrifice on the part of King Arthur's daughter.

The death of Amelia meant sadness for everyone mostly her child who despite his sadness knew that his mother was finally united with his Father in the afterlife.

**FINIS**


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